leslumsdonbolton

EVALUATING LEISURE AND TOURISM CYCLING: 

EVALUATING LEISURE AND TOURISM CYCLING University of Bolton The benefits of cycling to leisure and tourism September 12th Andy Cope, Research Director, Sustrans Paul Downward, Loughborough University Les Lumsdon, Institute of Transport & Tourism Richard Weston, Institute of Transport & Tourism www.uclan.ac.uk

Why invest in cycle routes for leisure and tourism?: 

Why invest in cycle routes for leisure and tourism? Four key dimensions: Market wants Sustainable development Stimulate local economies Community development

Definitions: 

Definitions Conceptualising Economic Impact: Definition Assessing the deployment of resources between options to meet decision-makers’ objectives Financial assessment - concerned typically with private sector; contribution of project options to financial wealth of organisation; market value. Economic assessment – concerned typically with public sector; contribution of project options to a wider set of stakeholders and society; not necessarily market values thus overlaps with Social and Environmental assessment

Government guidelines: 

Government guidelines Guidelines: Government ‘The Green Book: Appraisal and Evaluation in Central Government’ H.M. Treasury, 2003 (London:TSO) Advocates ROAMEF Cycle

The triple ‘S’ model: 

The triple ‘S’ model Triple S Model: Evaluation/Appraisal Spending: Direct visitor user spending Spillovers: Indirect and induced effects Sustainability: value non-priced effects

Spending: 

Spending Measurement Spending: Direct impacts Typically focus on user spending May need to adjust for leakage, displacement and deadweight Consideration given to timescale and spatial geography Dynamics of supply and demand; snapshot vs. trends

Spillover: 

Spillover Measurement Spillover effects: Indirect and Induced Effects establish the ‘multiplier’, or ripple effects of an initial injection of expenditure into the local area. Direct effects – spending by visitors to the area Indirect effects – are spending by business with suppliers, and the suppliers with their suppliers Induced effects – are spending by employees of the businesses and suppliers Ongoing project in the North East of England to estimate these effects

Sustainability: 

Sustainability Sustainability: Concern is to ‘value’ non-market impacts. Two basic approaches Revealed Preference – infer value from observation; e.g. travel cost – distance travelled x cost per mile; hedonic method – observe market values e.g. property values before and after a change Stated Preference – infer value from a survey. Contingent valuation; ask ‘willingness to pay’ for a benefit Currently testing the latter in the North east of England with Sustrans

North Sea Cycle Route: 

North Sea Cycle Route The North Sea Cycle Route Options already established; route decided, invested in etc and targets specified Ex-post analysis – to feedback and extend programme of monitoring Target variables – demand and spending Demand – volume and segmentation Spending – level and determinants

Research approach: 

Research approach City Village Town

Research approach: 

Research approach Triangulated Research Establish counters at points of access and egress of sample of communities Intercept Survey – Number of dates- capture group data Diary – identify spend on route

Spending model: 

Spending model Spending determinants Spending Income Duration Group size

EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF PROJECTS: 

EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF PROJECTS

Conclusions: 

Conclusions Three key aspects to evaluating benefits: Clear definitions of impacts and benefits Well defined research methodology Recognition of the limitations of the research approach