Design & Planning August 2012 Environment Transportation Evaluation of the Cycling City and Towns Programme Qualitative Research with Residents August 2012 Disclaimer Although this report was commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT), the recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the DfT. While the DfT has made every effort to ensure the information in this document is accurate, DfT does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of that information; and it cannot accept liability for any loss or damages of any kind resulting from reliance on the information or guidance this document contains. © Queen’s Printer and Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office 2003 Copyright in the typographical arrangement and design rests with the Crown. Photographs of participants and the areas where they live were taken during the course of the research. Participants provided their permission for the photographs that have been reproduced in the report. All photographs are © Crown copyright. This publication excluding logos may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium provided that it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as Crown copyright and the title and source of the publication specified. Authors: Jo Christensen AECOM Kiron Chatterjee Centre for Transport & Society, University of the West of England, Bristol Steven Marsh AECOM Henrietta Sherwin Centre for Transport & Society, University of the West of England, Bristol Juliet Jain Centre for Transport & Society, University of the West of England, Bristol Checked by: ............................................................. Richard Redfern Regional Director Approved by: ............................................................. Jeremy Hardin Director Please cite as: Christensen, J., Chatterjee, K., Marsh, S., Sherwin, H. and Jain, J. (2012). Evaluation of the Cycling City and Towns Programme: Qualitative Research with Residents. August 2012. Report to Department for Transport by AECOM, Centre for Transport & Society and the Tavistock Institute. Rev No Comments Checked by Approved Date by V1.0 JH RR 08/04/11 V2.0 Revised based on DfT comments JH RR 31/5/11 V3.0 Revised based on DfT comments RR/GP JH 25/07/11 V4.0 Revised based on DfT comments JH RR 17/02/12 1 New York Street, Manchester, M1 4HD Telephone: 0161 601 1700 Website: http://www.aecom.com Job No 60097145 Reference DfT Date Created August 2012 Table of Contents 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................................... 8 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 8 1.2 Objectives of the Qualitative Research .................................................................................................................. 8 1.3 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................................ 9 1.4 Structure of Report ................................................................................................................................................ 9 2 Methodological Approach .............................................................................................................................................. 11 2.1 Recruitment Telephone Interviews ...................................................................................................................... 11 2.2 Face-to-face Interviews ....................................................................................................................................... 12 3 Understanding Cycling Behaviour ................................................................................................................................ 17 3.1 Summary of Previous Research .......................................................................................................................... 18 3.2 Life Course Perspective ....................................................................................................................................... 19 3.3 The Ecological Model .......................................................................................................................................... 20 4 Turning Points – Explaining Changes in Cycling ......................................................................................................... 22 4.1 Overview .............................................................................................................................................................. 22 4.2 Summary of Changes in Cycling Behaviour Reported in Interviews .................................................................... 22 4.3 Findings from Thematic Analysis of the In-depth Interviews ................................................................................ 23 4.4 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................. 51 5 Positive and Negative Influences on Cycling ............................................................................................................... 53 5.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 54 5.2 Key influences on cycling .................................................................................................................................... 54 5.3 Individual ............................................................................................................................................................. 55 5.4 Social/Cultural...................................................................................................................................................... 57 5.5 Journey Characteristics ....................................................................................................................................... 60 5.6 Journey Perceptions ............................................................................................................................................ 61 5.7 Cycling Infrastructure and Facilities ..................................................................................................................... 62 5.8 Physical and Road Environment .......................................................................................................................... 64 5.9 Economic/Policy .................................................................................................................................................. 65 5.10 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................. 66 6 Awareness, Perceptions and Experiences of CCT Interventions ............................................................................... 68 6.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 69 6.2 Awareness of CCT Status ................................................................................................................................... 69 6.3 Awareness of and Attitudes towards Cycling Infrastructure ................................................................................. 70 6.4 Awareness of and Attitudes towards Smarter Measures ..................................................................................... 77 6.5 Wider Outcomes/Impacts .................................................................................................................................... 80 7 Concluding Messages .................................................................................................................................................... 83 Appendix A Telephone Recruitment Interview Findings Appendix B Summary of Key Findings by CCT Appendix C Fieldwork Materials Executive Summary Executive Summary Introduction This report presents findings from qualitative research undertaken with residents of the Cycling City and Towns, during the programme period. It explores their cycling behaviour and how they responded to the investment in cycling in their local areas. By setting cycling decisions in the context of individual and family lives, and also the wider environment, the research identifies: the key triggers for changes in how people choose to travel, and the contextual factors which support or constrain cycling at those points – including the role of cycling schemes and interventions. This provides new insights on cycling behavioural change for decision makers and researchers in transport and other sectors. Background Between 2008 and 2011, the Department for Transport, Cycling England and the Department of Health invested over £43m (plus local match funding) to create the twelve Cycling City and Towns (CCTs): Greater Bristol, Blackpool, Cambridge, Chester, Colchester, Leighton-Linslade, Shrewsbury, Stoke-on- Trent, Southend, Southport, Woking and York. The aim of the programme was to explore whether