[sustran] fwd: Potential for mode transfer of short trips

[Paul Barter]

[This appeared on the utsg list. This research program looks very
interesting and relevant beyond the UK.,  Paul]

The UK Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions is funding
research here at the Centre for Transport Studies at University College
London to estimate the potential for reducing the number of short trips
by car by shifting them to other modes including walking, cycling and
public transport, or by other adjustments in household behaviour. Obtaining
more data on these topics will assist in the estimation of the number of
people who may be induced to change from car for these trips, and to
identify the factors that will help bring about the change.

The research is being carried out by the Centre for Transport Studies at
University College London in partnership with Steer Davies Gleave (who will
be carrying out the survey work). The project involves the following
stages:

     Existing data, including the UK National Travel Survey, will be
examined to establish the scale of the potential shift.

     A two stage survey will be carried out to establish the potential
alternatives to the car for short trips and the likelihood of their
adoption. The survey will be carried out in five areas, selected on the
basis of the nature of the areas, including hilliness. The first stage of
the survey will involve interviewing 500 households in each area to
establish the number of short car trips which they have made over a two day
period. From these, 100 households in each area will be selected for
in-depth
interviews about the alternatives ways in which the objectives of making
the short car
trips could have been met, and what inducements would be required to bring
about a
shift from the car.

     From this information the proportion of short car trips of various
lengths that could be shifted as a result of various policy initiatives
will be estimated. Then the range of traffic reductions that might be
achieved will be inferred.

     Local initiatives that encourage reductions in car use for short trips
will be identified and studied to see if they provide examples of
successful policy initiatives.

Information on experience elsewhere in reducing the number of short car
trips would be very
welcome. We are particularly keen to here about experiments to reduce the
number of short car trips where there has been a systematic monitoring
exercise. We would also welcome receiving data on the nature of short trips
(less than 8 km), eg mode used, trip purpose, etc, in order to compare
these with UK figures. Anyone with such information or wanting further
information about the project should contact me.

Thanks

Roger Mackett
______________________________________________________________________

Professor Roger Mackett
Head of Transport Studies
Centre for Transport Studies
University College London
Gower Street
London
WC1E 6BT
Great Britain

Tel: (+44) (0) 171 391 1554
Fax: (+44) (0) 171 391 1567
e-mail: rlm at transport.ucl.ac.uk