SMARTER CHOICES – CHANGING THE WAY WE TRAVEL: SMARTER CHOICES – CHANGING THE WAY WE TRAVEL


For example: For example School, workplace and individualised travel planning Improving public transport information and marketing services Car share schemes and car clubs Teleworking and teleconferencing


‘Smarter Choices’: ‘Smarter Choices’ “Balancing the need to travel with the aim of improving quality of life is an important objective underlying the Department for Transport’s strategy. Targeted information, incentives and marketing activity can help to promote walking, cycling, bus use, car sharing and so on.” Making Smarter Choices Work – Dec 2004


‘Smarter Choices’ Research (1): ‘Smarter Choices’ Research (1) Looked into the impact of a range of ‘soft’ factor interventions on traffic Provided firm evidence of the benefits of such measures in reducing traffic and congestion Final report published in July 2004 in parallel with DfT White Paper ‘The Future of Transport’.


‘Smarter Choices’ Research (2): ‘Smarter Choices’ Research (2) ‘High Intensity’ Scenario Reduction in peak period urban traffic of about 21% (off-peak 13%) Reduction of peak period non-urban traffic of about 14% (off-peak 7%) Nationwide reduction in all traffic of about 11%


‘Smarter Choices’ Research (3): ‘Smarter Choices’ Research (3) ‘Low intensity’ scenario Reduction in peak period urban traffic of about 5% Nationwide reduction in all traffic of 2-3% Assumed other supporting policies to prevent induced traffic from eroding the effects


Main Conclusion: Main Conclusion Provided smarter choices are implemented within a supportive policy context, they can be sufficiently effective in facilitating choices to reduce car use and offer sufficiently good value for money, that they merit consideration for an expanded role in local and national transport strategy.


Workplace Travel: Workplace Travel Case studies in Bucks, Birmingham, Cambs, Merseyside, Nottingham and York. Can reduce commuter car driving by between 10% and 30%. Costs from £2 - £4 a head Good individual plans achieved average reductions of 18%


School Travel Plans: School Travel Plans Case studies in Bucks, Merseyside and York Cut school run traffic by between 8% and 15% with high performing schools achieving reductions of over 20% Costs ranged £4-£40 per head


Individualised Marketing Campaigns: Individualised Marketing Campaigns Case studies in Gloucester, Bristol, London and Nottingham Personalised journey planning reduced car use by 7%-15% in urban areas and 2%-6% in rural areas Reductions in car use mostly achieved outside peak hours


Public transport information and marketing: Public transport information and marketing Case studies in Brighton and Nottingham Budgets of £60,000-£300,000 per year helped deliver increases in bus use of 1.5%- 5% per year Bus marketing programmes delivered significant increases in bus patronage even without service improvements!


Making Smarter Choices Work: Making Smarter Choices Work Guide for local authorities describing ‘smarter choices’ – launched December 04 Encouraging local authorities to include them in their new local transport plans


Sustainable Travel Towns : Sustainable Travel Towns 5 year, £10 million project 3 demonstration towns: Darlington, Peterborough and Worcester Research and evaluate impacts of town-wide packages of hard and soft measures to reduce car use


Cycling Demonstration Towns: Cycling Demonstration Towns £2.8m a year match funding for next 3 years for 6 cycle demonstration towns Aylesbury, Brighton, Darlington, Derby, Exeter and Lancaster (with Morecombe)


School Travel Initiative (1): School Travel Initiative (1) £100 million over 4 years to 2008 Aim – active travel plans in every school by 2010 June 04 – 2,300 school travel plans in England. June 05 – further 3,500 Financial support for 250 school travel advisers


School Travel Initiative (2): School Travel Initiative (2) Capital grants for schools to spend on travel plan measures Typically - £5,000 for primary school and £10,000 for secondary


Wider Benefits: Wider Benefits Social Inclusion Accessibility Regeneration Pollution Health


Taking this work forward: Taking this work forward Encouraging local authorities to include smarter choices in their new Local Transport Plans coming into effect in April 2006 Recent publication of best practice guidance on residential and individualised travel plans Assessment of ‘smarter choices’ measures as part of DfT’s Climate Change Programme Review


Jacqui WilkinsonSustainable Travel InitiativesDepartment for TransportZone 3/15Great Minster House76 Marsham StreetLondon SW1P 4DR020 7944 4898jacqui.wilkinson@dft.gsi.gov.uk: Jacqui Wilkinson Sustainable Travel Initiatives Department for Transport Zone 3/15 Great Minster House 76 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DR 020 7944 4898 jacqui.wilkinson@dft.gsi.gov.uk