Behavioural change measures (‘Smarter Choices’) - Transport Policy and Planning in Great Britain - page 254

16 Behavioural change measures
('Smarter Choices')
16.1 Introduction
Thus far in Part 3 of the topic we have followed the trajectory of transport planning
itself in seeing problems and opportunities arising from (mainly) increasing demand
being responded to by improvements through investment where it is cost-effective to
do so, and by a variety of 'stick and carrot' measures to alter the scale and pattern of
demand where it is not.
Possible ways of influencing motorists' behaviour, other than by major investment
or by physical or fiscal instruments, is a more recent development. The term 'soft
measures' used originally was never defined precisely, nor has its successor 'smarter
choices' preferred by the Government. Their common feature is that they aim primarily
to alter the way travel opportunities are perceived and responded to (as distinct from the
more traditional approach of seeking to change behaviour by altering the opportunities
themselves). They can be used in conjunction with these traditional measures (i.e. to
help bring about the behavioural change intended) or more intriguingly, to bring about
change in behaviour with little or no change in the transport system.
A further feature of these measures is that, except for those secured through the
development planning process, they are not based on any legal sanction or reward.
In essence individuals and businesses are free to adopt them or not as they think fit.
That is both their strength and their weakness. Nobody can object to them because
nobody is being forced to do anything they don't want to do. But equally of course if
the scale of 'voluntary' change does not achieve the desired outcomes then this begs
the question of whether some system of rewards or sanctions should be invoked.
In this final chapter of Part 3 we therefore consider this most recent set of
instruments available to transport planners. As essential background we begin by
explaining the nature and significance of car dependency (16.2). We then review the
overall stance taken by central government towards 'smarter choices' (16.3). This is
followed by an overview of the range of measures available and evidence of their cost-
effectiveness (16.4). Experience to date with many of these, it should be emphasised, is
the product of private initiative. In the remainder of the chapter we focus on measures
where significant public intervention has taken place, dealing first with travel plans
of various kinds (16.5) and marketing (16.6). As part of the latter we report on the
Government's recent 'Sustainable Travel Demonstration Towns' initiative - the only
attempt yet to study the effect of a range of 'smarter choices' being introduced in the
same locality as part of a concerted programme.