Behavioural Change in Transport

SYSTRA helps local authorities and governments to understand the factors that influence behaviour when it comes to transport usage, helping decision-makers to introduce effective schemes to change behaviours in favour of more sustainable, low-carbon transport options.

How to influence sustainable transport choices

The need to achieve net zero carbon in transport means that local authorities and government departments must encourage more people to adopt carbon-free transport solutions, and increase the uptake of sustainable public transport. The first step in changing behaviour is understanding the factors that influence transport choices, so that effective policies and schemes can be introduced to alter travel-related behaviour.

Decision-makers need to understand potential responses to any interventions they make, so the most effective schemes can be prioritised. Understanding what may encourage people to change their transport behaviours must be the basis for justifying new transport schemes and developing evidence-based business cases for transport interventions.

SYSTRA provides all the expertise clients need to research and analyse the behaviour and preferences of transport users, so the most appropriate demand management schemes and marketing campaigns can be implemented to drive long-term behavioural change.

our experience

Discover how SYSTRA provides expert insight and advice to support decision making, policy development and strategy.

VIEW CASE STUDIES

SYSTRA offers research skills, communications expertise and transport strategies to help our clients deliver sustainable transport solutions.

Gathering the evidence for transport interventions

Our in-house Social and Market Research team gather the data and insights required to inform transport policies and strategies. Clients need to understand the relevance and likely effectiveness of any new scheme or change in transport services they introduce, and our specialists gather all the qualitative and quantitative evidence required to support their decisions and business cases. We help clients choose the right survey techniques to meet their objectives, and devise creative ways to reach those groups in society that are often neglected and hard to reach.

Transport interventions with real impact

Our expertise in transport behavioural change helps clients to identify the most effective ways to influence transport users to adopt more sustainable transport modes. We work with academic organisations and clients to develop the most effective schemes.

We can help clients to encourage people to shift from private cars to using public transport, or increase the use of more active travel modes, such as walking or cycling. We can help to develop schemes to encourage a general reduction in travel across a region, and increase the adoption of new low-impact transport modes and technologies, such as electric vehicles and scooters.

Transport messaging that gets results

Influencing behavioural change also means providing people with the right information, in the right place, at the right time. Our specialists can help clients to develop targeted marketing and communications campaigns designed to reach the right audiences – and have the greatest impact on changing travel behaviour.

Positive outcomes of behavioural change

The impacts of altering travel behaviour can be dramatic and wide reaching. They include reductions in congestion and carbon emissions, improvements in road safety and air quality, greater health and well-being and, ultimately, the achievement of net zero carbon goals to combat climate change.

Effective sustainable transport schemes

There are a whole range of interventions that we can support, designed to improve the sustainability of transport in a given region. These include road-user charging schemes, workplace, school or residential travel plans, clean air zones, 20-minute communities or walkable neighbourhoods, and a range of traffic management interventions.

Ultimately, our work in transport behavioural change aims to deliver the 4 ‘R’s of sustainable transport: reduce, re-time, reroute or re-mode.

How can our experts help?

you may also like

Find out what its like to work at SYSTRA, rewards, benefits and about different career pathways including apprenticeships and graduate opportunities.

SEARCH CAREERS