Transport policy

Since the late 1990s, voluntary travel behaviour change (VTBC) has been an increasingly popular strategy in Australia, applied to reduce both reliance on the car and greenhouse gas emissions. Early efforts to evaluate the impact of this strategy were generally implemented by the agency that also implemented the policy and used small sample, self-report surveys. The paper starts out by discussing the nature and size of travel behaviour changes that are frequently expected in current policy, noting that these are often smaller than the sampling and measurement errors in traditional methods of measuring travel behaviour. The paper then discusses some alternative methods of evaluating voluntary travel behaviour change implementations using panels to reduce sampling error, and using a combination of personal Global Positioning System devices and odometer reading surveys to measure travel patterns. From these considerations, a number of guidelines are suggested for what is required to evaluate voluntary travel behaviour change. The paper describes three recent case studies in Australia in which such methods have been used and evaluates the methodological approaches used in these studies against the suggested guidelines.

This paper explores the relationship between travel and social inclusion in relation to a relatively rarely examined group of travel destinations—arts and cultural activities. This paper examines travel behaviour to arts and cultural activities and how this relates to social inclusion. Research literature associated with these issues is examined and then an analysis of a household travel survey in Melbourne, Australia, is undertaken to explore how travel to arts and cultural activities varies by income, car ownership and location. The paper outlines a range of evidence linking participation in arts and cultural activities and positive outcomes for social inclusion. Arts and cultural activities do not fit well into traditional household travel survey definitions of trip purposes. There is also no definitional difference between travel to activities and ‘participation’ or ‘attendance’ in arts and cultural activities. This is unfortunate since social outcomes may vary by participation or attendance. Travel survey analysis shows that like other activities trip rates to arts and cultural activities increase with income. However higher participation is demonstrated for zero- and one-car households, which contrasts with previous research of work, education and social travel. Higher participation is also demonstrated for those living in inner parts of the city. The paper suggests that most travel to arts and cultural activity is quite localised and hence much travel may be led by the diversity and range of local opportunities provided. These are particularly high in inner parts of the city. A high share of travel is also demonstrated for older people, who are thought to have the time and desire for greater participation in arts and cultural activities.►Arts and cultural trip rates positively correlate to low work-force participation. ►Arts and cultural trip rates positively correlate to low household car ownership. ►Trip rates to the arts are influenced by the local availability of activities. ►Arts and cultural participation can be important to social inclusion. ►Arts and cultural activities are not accurately recorded in household travel surveys.

Transport is a major user of carbon-based fuels, and achievement of the targets set at the Kyoto Protocol and elsewhere means that the EU and national governments must reduce CO2 emissions in all sectors, including transport. This paper reports on a recently completed study for the UK government on the options available to meet a 60% CO2 reduction target by 2030 in the UK transport sector. The study follows a backcasting study approach, developing a business as usual baseline for transport emissions, and two alternative scenarios to 2030. Different policy measures are assessed and assembled into mutually supporting policy packages (PP). Although 2030 seems a long way ahead, action must be taken now if the targets for CO2 reduction are to be met. The achievement of a carbon-efficient transport future, combined with holding travel levels at present levels, is likely to be very difficult. A major transformation in the way transport and urban planning is carried out is required. As transport and urban planners, we need to think very differently in tackling the new environmental and liveability imperative.

ABSTRACT Older people are perceived to face different problems while commuting. Studies on mobility of the elderly and associated constraints are, in Nigeria, recent but scanty. Hence, this paper explores elderly mobility characteristics, commuting patterns, quality of transport services and problems associated with the use of public transport services. Questionnaires were administered to 250 elderly aged 60 years and above using a purposive sampling technique. Findings showed that 58.4% of the sampled elderly lack personal means of transportation. The study revealed that an elderly generates about 2.88 trips per day. Trip destinations within a distance of 2 km of respondents׳ residence accounted for 65.60% trips generated. Daily frequency accounted for 38.56% of the visits to four trip destinations (work, social, religion and market). Walking accounts for 36.89% of travel mode of the elderly. Transport constraints identified include high transport fare, lack of bus stops, poor nature of roads, traffic congestion, poor attitude of commercial transport operators and the absence of state owned transport services. There is also a low level of satisfaction with transport services with significant variation in satisfaction with transport service among the different age groups. The paper suggests that government should include issues of elderly mobility and safety in the nation׳s transport policy in addition to the provision of affordable public transport services for the elderly.

This analysis examines an innovative approach to transportation policy in Curitiba, Brazil. Curitiba is a city of 1.6 million residents that has grown fourfold in the last 30 years. Unlike many cities, quality of life and transportation has not been a casualty of growth. Curitiba's transportation system actively helps residents obtain the benefits of growth, including access to jobs, homes,

Deriving from extensive analysis of quantitative survey data in Austria, this chapter focuses on the importance that inherited presuppositions play in the processes of planning and implementation. In a majority of European countries, cycling is considered to play a significant role in a sustainable urban transport system, after decades of car dominance captivating the thoughts and actions of decision-makers and thus appears in transport policy documents ranging from local to national level.
However, when actual measures are implemented, mental barriers of decision makers surface and this often leads to suboptimal results. Mental barriers are shown most clearly in resistance to innovation adoption, a phenomenon well documented in social science. In this context, the resistance to innovation adoption causes reservations and limiting beliefs that hinder decision-makers in the introduction of suitable solutions for everyday and every-use cycling.
The chapter addresses quantitatively two primary questions relating to mental barriers clearly revealed in the analysis of planning processes: of what are mental barriers comprised, and where do they exist? Our quantitative exploration points the way towards two possible approaches to overcome mental barriers: social pressure upon and self-experience by decision-makers.