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Can’t get there from here? Why people travel the way they do

Can’t get there from here? Why people travel the way they do

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Page 1: Can’t get there from here? Why people travel the way they do

Can’t get there from here?

Why people travel the way they do

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Physical activity

Air pollution

And by the way…

Infrastructure costs Social capital

CO2 emission

s

Depression

Injuries

Osteoporosis

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Healthy living: physical activity

Let’s Make Scotland More Active (2003)

“All children and young people, including children with disabilities, should

take part in at least one hour a day of physical activity. This physical

activity should include physical education, play sports, exercise, dance,

outdoor activities, active travel and support to be active in their daily active travel and support to be active in their daily

tasks at home, at school and in the community.”tasks at home, at school and in the community.”

Five Year Review of "Let's Make Scotland More Active” (2009)

“The review group believes the creation and provision of environments that environments that

encourage and support physical activityencourage and support physical activity offers the greatest potential to get the

nation active.”

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Healthy PlanningScottish Planning Policy (April 09)

“Opportunities for personal travel should be prioritised by mode in the following order – walking, cycling, public walking, cycling, public transporttransport, car and other motorised vehicles. Buildings and facilities should be accessible on foot, both within the development and from the surrounding area. The aim is for urban areas to be made more attractive and safer for urban areas to be made more attractive and safer for pedestrianspedestrians, including people with mobility difficulties. Cycle routesCycle routes and, where relevant, cycle parkingcycle parking andstoragestorage should be safeguarded and enhanced wherever possible.”

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Progress on active/sustainable travel• Total vehicle kilometres

still increasing and air travel also increasing1

• “Active travel is in relative decline”2

• “It is imperative that overall emissions from the transport sector are driven down”3

1Scottish Government, 2008 and 20092 Sustainable Development Commission. Review of Progress by the Scottish Government. November 20083 Scottish Government Climate Change Programme 2nd Annual Report, 2007/8

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Progress on active/sustainable travel

(Source: Scottish Parliament Research Briefing 2008: Draft Budget 2009-10 - Finance and Sustainable Growth Portfolio )

Scottish Government Spend in Real Terms (£m)

08/09 09/10 10/11 % change

Motorways & trunk roads

930 1035 1120 +10%

Support for active sustainable travel

11 11 10 -3%

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Background

• Collaborative programme of work established in summer 2008– Moving in the right direction? Building the information

base, developing knowledge and evaluating the impact of transport policies and programmes on patterns of active/sustainable travel

• Multi-agency advisory group

• External funding

• Completion spring 2010

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Main aims of transport and health programme of work

1. To build the information base around modes of transport/travel

2. To enhance our understanding of the impacts of transport related policies and strategies on active/sustainable travel

3. To explore current attitudes and culture towards travel

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Exploring current attitudes and culture towards travel

• Qualitative research (conducted by JMP Consultants Limited) which aimed to:

– Better understand how and why people currently travel as they do

– Explore the scope for encouraging growth in alternatives to car travel

Conducted early 2009

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• 105 x 2 minute ‘vox pop’ video interviews at 4 locations: Braehead Shopping Centre; Southern General Hospital; Glasgow City Centre; Glasgow Fort Shopping Centre

• 6 shared-focus groups:1 in Braehead, 1 in SGH, 2 in City Centre and 2 in Glasgow Fort

• Participants from spectrum of age and sex

• Examination of travel related attitudes, norms and values regarding different modes of travel

Methodology

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Main findings

• In general participants used multi-modal travel

• Travel to city centre by public transport

• Travel to other locations generally by car (although Southern General Hospital exception)

• Lack of time pressure and access to free travel influenced participants to use modes other than car

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Walking• Positively regarded

– Awareness of physical and mental health benefits“I think it’s relaxing and you can go into a world of your own, think about what you’re doing what you aren’t doing just in another world”

BUT main underlying motivations were that it was the only option/quickest/most convenient mode

• Barriers– Time“Aye if I have more time I would walk, but when you’re working and you have a million things to do you just don’t know”– Weather“My walk was fine – it was a bit windy. It seems daft that the only complaint is about the weather.”– Safety“I just think I wouldn’t walk out at night anyway.”

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Cycling• Perceived as healthy activity

• Very few cyclists

• Barriers – Perceived safety on road (biggest barrier)“They’re telling everyone to get fit, but it’s not safe to take a bike out. If they had more cycle paths it would be a lot better.”– Safe cycle facilities/showers and routes– Fear of theft“There’s nowhere safe in the town that you could leave a bike. Do you not come back with your tyres missing? You take off your front wheel and lock it to the back.”– Weather– Lack of storage space at home

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Bus travel• Most discussion about this mode

• Majority had used bus within last year, many regularly

• Bus services perceived as pretty good“I find I don’t have to run for a bus now. I used to have to, now I’d just wait because I know it’s only 10 minutes.”

• However, many different positive and negative views and perceptions

“Driving is stressful sometimes. I find it a bit tiring as well. Although I have a car I might get the bus down there I think I’d find it relaxing. Thebus is great you just get to sit there and daydream.”

“When the bus gets too busy and it stops at every stop and traffic lights I get angry.”

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Bus travel: barriers

• Journey planning“…there are so many routes now its just confusing, there are so many

options there are too many options too many times………….”

• Safety“At night time I would never get a bus, neither would my son or my

daughter it’s too dangerous to travel back late at night.”

• Quality of service provided by bus drivers“I think that some of the _____ bus drivers are complete ignoramuses”

• Number of different bus providers• Congestion/competition in city centre“ Coming down ________ Street, horrendous at busy times, I’m surprised

there’s not more accidents, they don’t give any respect, especially when

the lights change.”

• Lack of bus service to particular sites

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Train and subway travel• Mentioned least

• Not all study sites accessible by train

• Train travel viewed very positively“ I would get on the train after work, get myself a couple of cans of

beer,

get the Independent, and maybe a wee sandwich from M&S, very

civilised, or maybe a bottle of Bucks Fizz if it was pay day and it was

lovely. Apart from once when there were no working toilets on the train

and that was hell. But that’s not a regular occurrence.”

• Some criticisms regarding fares and delays

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Car travel (driver/passenger)• 45% of participants had access to a car and could drive

• Habit plays a part“ I simply didn’t consider any alternatives for my travel than the car”

• Open acknowledgement of ‘laziness’“ Driving makes you lazy. Every year I say I’ll do more walking, but if

the weather’s bad 2 steps out the door and you are in the car. It

encourages laziness I’m afraid”

• Economic and social influences“ I don’t see the point in paying car insurance and tax if I’m going to

walk. I drive even though it takes as long as I walk”

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Car travel: convenience, freedom

• Convenience“ I have no excuse there are plenty of buses at the top of the hill where

I

live but I just think its more convenient to drive than to walk to the top

of the hill to get a bus”

• Freedom“ You can smoke in the car. That’s a good thing”

“You can relax when you are in the car. If talking to your mate can use

language that wouldn’t normally use in front of women and children”

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Car travel: aspiration, flexibility• Aspiration“ I’m sending away for a driving licence soon. Then I won’t need to get a taxi everywhere, I will get my Mum to buy me a car. I wouldn’t use the bus if I had a car, so I don’t need to wait on a bus and would get there faster”

“If I could drive, I would probably drive absolutely everywhere, so it’s probably a good thing that I can’t drive”

• Flexibility“ The only time I’m really glad of the car is when I’m getting the messages, because there are 6 of us in the house and a lot of bags”

“ It’s easier to get to an appointment on time if you are in your car like you can just jump in and go to the doctors here or there…………..”

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• Cost“ I’ve never wanted to drive, the cost has put me off. I’ve got more

things to do with my money than spend it on cars”

“It’s not the buying of the car, it’s the upkeep”

• Parking“ You wouldn’t take a car into town – parking is far too pricey”

“Sometimes when I come with my friend it can take about half an hour

by the time you go round all the parkng lots to find a space………..”

Car travel: disincentives

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Conclusions

• Choice of travel mode influenced by– Convenience– Time– Cost– Sociability– Habit– Information– Personal security

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Recommendations

• Prioritise active travel in planning• Disincentivise car use and incentivise

public transport/active travel• Maximise convenience• Walking/cycling routes - connectivity,

appearance, signage, information• Cycling support• Car clubs/pool cars

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Qualitative research outputs

Full report on GCPH website

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Moving in the right direction?...to be continued

Programme Lead:Fiona Crawford Glasgow Centre for Population Health Phone: 0141 287 [email protected]

Other contacts:Bruce Whyte, [email protected] Mark Livingston, [email protected] Seaman, [email protected]

Web: http://www.gcph.co.uk/content/view/115/102/