Encouraging Behavioural Change
One of the key challenges involved in reducing transport emissions is changing behaviour. |
 |
Behavioural change can be supported by:
- Providing training, tools and support, ensuring that interventions are based on a sound evidence base, and well-researched theories of human behaviour
- Raising awareness of the benefits of change
- Informing people of the opportunities to change
- Aiding local authorities and transport operators to develop new opportunities
- Developing incentives for change, for example taxes or savings
Cost benefit studies, whole life costing and case studies and controlled experimental studies can demonstrate the benefits of changing behaviour providing an incentive for change.
Aspects of behaviour change relating to climate change in the transport sector include:
- Reducing demand: The demand for transport can be reduced by avoiding travel all together, or by shortening journeys. For example by using teleconferencing facilities for business meetings and land use planning to reduce the distances people need to travel to reach essential services, such as schools and hospitals. Tools to help this kind of behaviour change include strategic transport models and green travel plans.
- Shifting mode: Changing from carbon intensive modes of transport to more carbon efficient modes will reduce emissions. One way of encouraging this is by improving cycling, pedestrian or public transport facilities. Other incentives for change can be fiscal or reduced travel times for example by implementing bus priority schemes to make bus journeys quicker or introducing high speed rail.
- Increasing efficiency: Emissions can be reduced by increasing the fuel efficiency of existing travel modes, for example by eco-driving training, improving traffic management to reduce congestion or by sharing journeys through car share schemes. Tools to help achieve this include traffic management software systems such as SCOOT and MIDAS, car share databases and simulators to teach and assess driving behaviour in a safe, controlled environment.
The effectiveness of introducing behaviour change policies relating to climate change in the transport sectorcan be monitored by measuring changes in travel patterns or surveying attitudes to travel. A greater understanding of travel behaviour, why and how people travel and use the transport system can help ensure that targeted programmes are developed to support behaviour change, all the time ensuring that any interventions are based on a sound theoretical and evidence basis.
TRL is involved in a wide range of behavioural change activities aimed at supporting modal shift and increasing the efficiency of existing travel modes including awareness raising campaigns, driver training, policy assessment and provision of guidance. For example we have:
- Assessed the factors affecting trip mode choice for the Highways Agency
- Evaluated the Sustainable Transport Demonstration Towns for the Department for Transport
- Promoted fuel efficient driving in the haulage industry as part of the Departments for Transport's Fuel Economy Advisers Scheme
- Provided training using TRL's Truck Simulator for drivers to assist them to drive more fuel efficiently therefore reducing greenhouse gas emissions
TRL's key behavioural change capabilities include:
- Research into driving characteristics, monitoring behaviour of road and public transport users
- Examining user attitudes and behaviour, using a variety of research and stakeholder consultation methods
- Driver simulation, testing and training for example to encourage more fuel efficient driving
- The design of interventions targeted at changing specific safety-related behaviours such as speeding and mobile phone use
- Thorough evaluation of behavioural change interventions against proxy measures such as attitudes and behaviours, and health outcomes
- Information provision and awareness raising campaigns to promote sustainable transport
- Assessing the level of provision for walking and cycling and providing recommendations for improvements
- Evaluation of smarter choices measures, travel planning advice, guidance and training
- Policy assessment to identify barriers to the use of sustainable transport and opportunities to encourage uptake
- Analysis of the impact different financial incentives can have on travel behaviour
- Evaluation of the public perception of new lower carbon alternatives such as electric vehicles
Further information on our relevant experiences can be found in the 'behavioural change' section of our web site, or the following specific areas:
