TAPAS.network | 31 January 2024 | Round Table Discussion

Achieving behaviour change in transport — what should be the guiding principles?

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WE ARE VERY PLEASED to record our holding of the second successful TAPAS Round Table event in association with the ‘Transport Thinking Forum’. This addressed the theme of achieving behaviour change in transport.

A challenging introductory presentation by Pete Dyson from the University of Bath looked hard at the concept of ‘Carrots and Sticks’ as applied within the transport world to influencing travel behaviour and questioned its efficacy and suitability as he had set out in his paper published on TAPAS in November 2023 (link to paper). He offered some alternative paradigms and approaches based on his work on behaviour change at creative communications and advertising consultancy Ogilvy, the Department for Transport, and now his PhD research exploring how theories of cooperation might inform policymaking around sustainable travel behaviour.

Pete wrote the ground-breaking book, ’Transport for Humans — are we nearly there yet’ with Ogilvy director, Rory Sutherland.

Pete Dyson was followed by three shorter contributions bringing different perspectives to the behaviour change discussion. These were made by David Metz, honorary professor in the Centre for Transport Studies at University College London, on ‘Heuristics’; Dr Lara Salinas, Director of Service Futures Lab, London College of Communication, University of the Arts London, on ‘A Reflective Societal Readiness Assessment’; and Lisa Martin, Director at Steer on 'Reflections on 25 years in travel behaviour change’.

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Then after the break, there was a facilitated discussion, which sought to find some areas of potential policy and practice innovation to support behaviour change activity.

All in all, it was generally regarded as a very stimulating and productive event.

After the formal discussions, most of those present enjoyed an hour or so’s socialising at the excellent facilities provided by our event host, sustainability-driven engineering and design consultancy Whitby Wood.

We were delighted with the response from our participants drawn from the TAPAS contributors and network members. Those present comprised 20 people bringing a range of perspectives and experience on this important subject. This lead to an excellent discussion and kick off what we hope to be a continuing exchange of thoughts on TAPAS about this topic.

We look forward to our next Round Table event, considering another challenging transport topic. Details will be posted here in due course.

Access to material from these Round Table events is limited to those attending or who express a specific interest in the subject matter and in joining the professional discussion on it. If you would like to be considered for such access let us know using this link.

 

Links to available presentations: (download links are only active for those who participated in the Round Table)

  • Pete Dyson: Beyond ‘Carrots & Sticks’ — examining the principles of behaviour change

  • David Metz: Learning from heuristics about travel behaviour

  • Lara Salinas: A Reflective Social Readiness Assessment for Behaviour Change

  • Lisa Martin: Reflections on 25 years in travel behaviour change

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Peter Stonham is the Editorial Director of TAPAS Network

Programme for the Round Table

Wednesday, 31 January 2024, 16:30-20:30, at the offices of Whitby Wood, 91-94 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7AB.

16:00 Tea/Coffee and networking

Session 1 — Setting the scene

16:30 Welcome and Introduction (Dr Arman Farahmand-Razavi, Chris Murray and Peter Stonham)
16:50 Keynote by Pete Dyson: Beyond Carrots & Sticks – why it’s time to replace this unhelpful transport policy metaphor
17:15 Questions and Clarifications to Pete Dyson
17:35 Observations on Heuristics from Professor David Metz
17:50 Observations on Societal Readiness Levels & Assessment from Dr Lara Salinas
18:00 Observations on twenty years or so of behaviour change approach in transport from Lisa Martin
18:10 Summary and synopsis (Pete Dyson/Peter Stonham)

18:30 Tea/Coffee Intermission

Session 2 — Exploring actions and outcomes

18:45 Introduction to the session and framework for discussion by Peter Stonham
19:00 Facilitated discussion and capturing the key emerging issues in the light of the Session 1 content and other considerations that are now raised (Pete Dyson/Peter Stonham/Peter Jones)
20:15 Summarising the discussion — Peter Stonham
20:25 Concluding remarks and next steps (Pete Dyson and Peter Jones)
20:30 Informal discussions/Networking (until 21:30)

Read more articles by Pete Dyson
Beyond Carrots & Sticks – why it’s time to replace this unhelpful transport policy metaphor
It is said that language can drive us apart, and that’s the case with the concept of deploying carrots and sticks, widely, but mistakenly, adopted by the transport planning and policy fraternity, believes Pete Dyson co-author of ‘Transport for Humans’, doctoral researcher at University of Bath and former behavioural scientist at Department for Transport. He points to its unwanted messaging implications in presenting the case for change to decision-makers and transport users, and proposes there are better ways to discuss travel behaviour change
Going longer: why we are missing the vital timelines for transport planning, policy and research
Are we looking far enough ahead in transport thinking? In the run up to LTT’s Transport Future 2050 event, Pete Dyson considers the need for longer-term thinking in transport policy and research, challenging the values implicit in our current practices, and finding some lessons from history. He sees the opportunity to engage positively with the next generation in exploring what lies ahead, and how to understand and shape the future. Who is already seeking to make that a reality, and how could it be done better, he wonders?
Beyond Carrots & Sticks – why it’s time to replace this unhelpful transport policy metaphor
It is said that language can drive us apart, and that’s the case with the concept of deploying carrots and sticks, widely, but mistakenly, adopted by the transport planning and policy fraternity, believes Pete Dyson co-author of ‘Transport for Humans’, doctoral researcher at University of Bath and former behavioural scientist at Department for Transport. He points to its unwanted messaging implications in presenting the case for change to decision-makers and transport users, and proposes there are better ways to discuss travel behaviour change
Read more articles on TAPAS
Net Zero requires reappraisal of the road programme: but how?
In February the Court of Appeal ruled against Heathrow’s third runway proposal because it had not taken account the Government’s legal commitments to reduce carbon emissions. The Government decided not to appeal. Now the DfT has published its important new Decarbonising trans- port: setting the challenge report, which, as transport secretary Grant Shapps wrote in the foreword, implies significantly reducing car use and rein- stating public transport, walking and cycling, as the preferred modes of choice.
Confronting Transport-Related Social Exclusion: refining the Methodology and addressing the Challenges
Poor quality transport links to vital services and facilities is seriously damaging people’s lives says Kris Beuret. Yet the concept of Transport Related Social Exclusion is still poorly understood, she believes, both in terms of how that disadvantage is measured, and identifying where it occurs. A new piece of work that Beuret and colleagues have just completed for Transport for the North offers some important insights, but raises some difficult questions, as she argues here.
Time to put our human intelligence to considering the full implications of AI
TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS have been coming thick and fast over the past few decades — the period of what might be called the digital communications revolution. No one had a map of where society was going when the first chip-powered computing became generally available and brought the possibilities of huge data management and information transfers, that had previously seemed impossible.