ATTITUDES TO, PERCEPTIONS AND EXPECTATIONS OF AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WITH RAIL

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NATIONAL TRAVELWISE CONFERENCE Bristol 2-3
November 2006
HELPING PEOPLE CHANGE THEIR TRAVEL BEHAVIOUR
STEPHEN STRADLING TRANSPORT RESEARCH INSTITUTE
NAPIER UNIVERSITY
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Activity What shall I do? Destination Where
shall I do it? Mode How will I get there? Trip
Management When should I go?
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The psychology of travel choice
OBLIGATIONS, OPPORTUNITIES AND INCLINATIONS IN
TRAVEL CHOICE What journeys do I have to
make? How can I make those journeys? How would I
like to make those journeys?
ALL TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT DECISIONS ARE DRIVEN BY
THE INTERACTION OF OBLIGATION, OPPORTUNITY AND
INCLINATION
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TRANSPORT JOINS UP THE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE GO TO
LEAD THEIR LIVES
OPPORTUNITIES What Im able to do CONSTRAINED
BY MONEY, TIME, SERVICE
AVAILABILITY, DISABILITY, etc. 70 of UK
households have access to a car - and 30 dont
OBLIGATIONS What I have to do WORK, SHOP, GET
KIDS TO SCHOOL, VISIT GRANNY, etc.
INCLINATIONS What I like to do I LOVE DRIVING,
DISLIKE HAVING MY PROGRESS IMPEDED, HATE WAITING,
LIKE TO FEEL IN CONTROL, SAFE, etc.
General dislike of public transport as have to
travel with general public.
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CHANGING TRAVEL BEHAVIOUR
INDIVIDUAL TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT DECISIONS ARE
DRIVEN BY PERCEPTIONS OF OBLIGATION, OPPORTUNITY
AND INCLINATION
PERCEIVED LIFESTYLE OBLIGATIONS What journeys do
I have to make? drive as work, commute, child
escort, lifestyle maintenance, time out, etc.
TRAVEL CHOICES
PERCEIVED OPPORTUNITIES How could I make these
journeys? (Available) Mode bus, bike, car, taxi,
train, walk, etc. Money, Time
INCLINATIONS PREFERENCES How would I like to
make these journeys? (Attractive) Autonomy
control, confidence, safety, Identity
Independence Effort physical, cognitive,
affective
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Travel Budgets Physical, Cognitive and
Affective Effort
Physical effort when travelling is used for
maintaining body posture in walking, waiting or
carrying. Comfortable seats will reduce the
amount of such effort expended. Negotiating an
awkward interchange while burdened with infants
and baggage will increase it. Cognitive effort
is needed to collect and process information
before and during a journey. Route familiarity
will reduce the amount of cognitive effort
needed. If the journey needs constant monitoring
of progress and the seeking out or interpretation
of information this will tend to increase it.
Nervous energy is expended on worry about
whether the journey will be successfully and
safely accomplished. Uncertainty about
connection, arrival or personal vulnerability
will tend to increase the amount of affective
spend on a journey.
time and money
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INTERCHANGE NOT CONVENIENT
Agree PHYSICAL
EFFORT At the interchange I had to wait for
longer than I would have liked 28 At the
interchange I had to walk further than I would
have liked 11 COGNITIVE EFFORT Before starting
I had to plan my journey carefully 44 At the
interchange I had to seek out information about
the next service 35 Before starting I had to
actively seek out information about the
journey 33 During the journey I had to keep
paying attention to check progress 24 AFFECTIVE
EFFORT At the interchange I worried about whether
the next service would turn up 33 During the
journey I worried about whether I would make my
connection 30 During the journey I worried about
arriving at my destination on time 27 At the
interchange I worried about whether I was waiting
in the right place 12 At the interchange I
worried about my personal safety 11 During the
journey I worried about my personal safety 6
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Why is service reliability important to 97 of
public transport users?

• Reliability enables travellers to meet their
  travel plans and obligations
• An unreliable transport service entails
• uncertainty and worry additional affective
  effort
• making remedial plans additional mental
  effort
• undertaking remedial actions additional
  physical effort

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CHANGING TRAVEL BEHAVIOUR
INDIVIDUAL TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT DECISIONS ARE
DRIVEN BY PERCEPTIONS OF OBLIGATION, OPPORTUNITY
AND INCLINATION
PERCEIVED OBLIGATIONS What journeys do I have to
make? drive as work, commute, child escort,
lifestyle maintenance, time out, etc.
ALTERNATIVE TRAVEL CHOICES
ACTUAL and PERCEIVED OPPORTUNITIES How could I
make these journeys? Mode bus, bike, car, taxi,
train, walk, etc. Money, Time
INCLINATIONS PREFERENCES How would I like to
make these journeys? Autonomy control,
confidence, safety, Identity Independence Effort
physical, cognitive, affective
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CHANGING TRAVEL BEHAVIOUR
PERCEIVED OBLIGATIONS What journeys do I really
have to make?
PROMOTING ALTERNATIVES TO CAR USE
PERCEIVED OPPORTUNITIES How else could I make
these journeys?
PREFERENCES INCLINATIONS How would I like to
make these journeys? (Are buses really so bad?)
PERCEIVED AVAILABILITY OF ALTERNATIVES More
alternatives More knowledge (How to information)
PERCEIVED ATTRACTIVENES OF ALTERNATIVES Autonomy
Mobility Costing / Saving Time
Money Effort
Physical Effort (Walking waiting)
Cognitive Effort (Information load)
Emotional Effort (Feeling in control, confident,
safe)
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Changing Behaviour (1) Therapy Analogy

• Current behaviour is causing problems in living
  for an individual and their significant others
• The client accepts ownership of the problem and
  shows readiness for change
• They receive regular and graded help from a
  qualified and experienced counsellor with whom
  they can form a therapeutic alliance involving
  mutual respect and regard in a non-threatening
  setting
• Jointly the therapist and client can agree a
  series of small, manageable steps to bridge the
  gap between start state and desired end-state
• Akin to a sports coach or driving instructor
  the counsellor can monitor progress and give fast
  feedback to modify aspirations and techniques
• Once change is achieved, mechanisms to assist
  maintenance and prevent relapse can be put in
  place.

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Changing Behaviour (2) Parenting Analogy
1. Dont just say Stop it! or smack, say Dont
do that, because ... compelling reasons involving upset and lack of
equity 2. Suggest alternative behaviours,
saying Why not do this instead, because .. of achievable, laudable and pleasant consequences
for self and others 3. Give procedural
assistance, Heres how you can do alternative 4. Indicate that a competent
authority will expend resource, time and effort
in establishment and maintenance of new behaviour
etc. will help you, signaling that successful
adoption of new behaviour is actually of concern
to those in a position to facilitate its adoption.
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Changing Behaviour. (1) Therapy Analogy

• Current behaviour is causing problems in living
  for an individual and their significant others
• The client accepts ownership of the problem and
  shows readiness for change
• They receive regular and graded help from a
  qualified and experienced counsellor with whom
  they can form a therapeutic alliance involving
  mutual respect and regard in a non-threatening
  setting
• Jointly the therapist and client can agree a
  series of small, manageable steps to bridge the
  gap between start state and desired end-state
• Akin to a sports coach or driving instructor
  the counsellor can monitor progress and give fast
  feedback to modify aspirations and techniques
• Once change is achieved, mechanisms to assist
  maintenance and prevent relapse can be put in
  place.

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Aggregate levels of car use, GB 1952-2000
billion person-kilometres of passenger land
transport per annum
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Aggregate levels of car use, GB 1952-2000 per
cent of passenger land transport per annum
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Scotland population of just over 5 million
people in 2.2 million households with 2.0
million cars
Who has access to a car?
Area None One Two Cars per 100
or more households Scotland
34 43 23 93 Highlands Islands 26 49
26 106 Mid Scotland Fife 27 46
27 106 South of Scotland 28 46
27 105 North East Scotland 31 44
26 101 West of Scotland 33 42 25
96 Central Scotland 34 43 23
94 Lothians 36 44 20 88 Glasgow 55
35 10 57
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Percentage of respondents from households with
access to a car for each of five annual household
income bands
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Percent of Scottish households without access to
a car for private use by location and income
quintile
Lo-est 2 3 4 Hi-est Total Large
urban 74 72 51 28 8 44 Other urban
68 64 38 17 4 33 Small remote towns
66 60 37 19 5 34 Small accessible
towns 65 55 31 12 3 26 Accessible
rural 48 44 21 8 1 18 Remote
rural 44 38 19 6 2 19 Total
65 62 39 18 4 33
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Autonomy - feeling in control
Why do they do it?
One of the reasons I like driving is because Im
in control female age group 36-45 drives
100 miles per week The problem I have with
public transport is that I dont feel in control
female age group 26-35 drives 100 miles per
week You dont feel in control at all on
public transport and youre worried about
connections all the time so youre having to be
aware of what the time is every moment
female age group 26-35 drives 10-50
miles per week Last year I came in by public
transport for about two weeks. It was hell.
Freezing to death on platforms waiting for trains
that were late. Youre not in control of your
life thats the only way I can describe it,
youre just not in control. If you know the
traffic jams there then there are ways to get
around it female age group 26-35
drives 100 miles per week.
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Expressive activity Transport into the adult
realm.
Instead of using public transport you get to use
cars.
Nice silver shiny car. It has to be shiny.

• Driving a car
• Is a way of projecting a particular image of
  myself
• Gives me a feeling of pride in myself
• Gives me the chance to express myself by driving
  the way I want to
• Gives me a feeling of power
• Gives me the feeling of being in control
• Gives me a feeling of self confidence
• Gives me a sense of personal safety
• Automobile Autonomy Mobility

Its going to be purple and hopefully a Skyline
but I dont have a lot of money.
Windows down, music blaring and just going up
and down the street.
It would just be great, just the total feeling
of freedom.
It gives me independence. Be able to go where I
want when I want.
Like youre in control of loads of speed
Not relying on your parents all the time
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But are they enjoying it?

• Agree
• Driving a car gives me freedom to go where I
  want when I want 95
• Driving a car is a convenient way of
  travelling 93
• BUT
• I feel car driving can be stressful sometimes
  67
• AND
• I am trying to use my car less 49

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Changing Behaviour. (1) Therapy Analogy

• Current behaviour is causing problems in living
  for an individual and their significant others
• The client accepts ownership of the problem and
  shows readiness for change
• They receive regular and graded help from a
  qualified and experienced counsellor with whom
  they can form a therapeutic alliance involving
  mutual respect and regard in a non-threatening
  setting
• Jointly the therapist and client can agree a
  series of small, manageable steps to bridge the
  gap between start state and desired end-state
• Akin to a sports coach or driving instructor
  the counsellor can monitor progress and give fast
  feedback to modify aspirations and techniques
• Once change is achieved, mechanisms to assist
  maintenance and prevent relapse can be put in
  place.

23
Changing the opportunity structure by pull or by
push?
How effective would each of the following
measures be in getting you to reduce your use of
the car? Very or Fairly
Effective Pull Measures More reliable public
transport services 82 Much cheaper
transport 71 Shorter overall journey times
on public transport 76 Shorter interchange
times on public transport 73 Integrated
ticketing to cover different forms of
transport 70 More available information about
public transport 68 Employer subsidy of season
ticket costs 54 Better cycling
facilities 43 Push Measures The closure of
city centres to cars 57 Fewer places to park
the car 47 More expensive petrol 38 Road
tolls 41 Campaigns about negative effects
of car use 26
The old, the poor, urban dwellers susceptible to
push measures Live out-of-town, large cars,
high mileage, drive as work susceptible to
neither
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Do push measures work?
Driving in Edinburgh gives me a headache because
of the traffic congestion and the impossibility
of finding a parking space. Ill try not to
go into the city centre unless absolutely
necessary (no parking, very expensive) and try to
do most of the shopping in malls outside the
centre.
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Meeting travel needs were all multimodal
travellers

• In Scotland in 2004 around 70 of adults reported
  journeys were by car or van.
• However most Scottish adults (97) are
  multi-modal travellers, with just 3 using only
  one mode and half having used 7 or more transport
  modes.
• Completely car dependent drivers (all journeys by
  car) 1.9
• Number of modes ever used Frequent car drivers
  8.25
• Non-drivers 7.16

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Viable alternatives for current car trips
WALK Escorting children to
school 72 Visiting friends and
relatives 65 Escorting children to
leisure activities 51
BUS (and Taxi) Town centre shopping
69 Evenings out 58 Weekend leisure
activities 52 Travel to work
45 Supermarket shopping 43
TRAIN Weekends away 47
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A.Dudleston, E.Hewitt, S.Stradling J.Anable
(2005) Public Perceptions of Travel Awareness
Phase Three. Edinburgh Scottish Executive.
4 car driver segments which differ in the extent
to which

• they exhibit attachment to the car
• they are willing to consider alternative modes
• they are already multi-modal
• they feel willing and able to reduce their car
  use
• they are aware of transport issues
• they believe in and identify with environmental
  problems

• DIE HARD DRIVERS - 26 of Scottish drivers
  (20 of Scottish adults)
• COMPLACENT CAR USERS 28 of drivers (21 of
  adults)
• MALCONTENTED MOTORISTS 24 of drivers (18 of
  adults)
• ASPIRING ENVIRONMENTALISTS 24 of drivers
  (18 of adults)

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Die-Hard Drivers (DHD) like driving and would use
the bus only if they had to. Few believe that
higher motoring taxes should be introduced for
the sake of the environment and there is
overwhelming support for more road building to
reduce congestion. There are slightly more males
than females in this group. Car Complacents (CC)
are less attached to their cars but currently see
no reason to change. They generally do not
consider using transport modes other than the car
and faced with a journey to make will commonly
just reach for the car keys. Malcontented
Motorists (MM) find that current conditions on
the road such as congestion and the behaviour of
other drivers make driving stressful, would like
to reduce their car use, but cannot see how. They
say that being able to reduce their car use would
make them feel good, but they feel there are no
practical alternatives for the journeys they have
to make. They are slightly over-represented in
accessible rural areas of Scotland. Aspiring
Environmentalists (AE) are actively trying to
reduce their car use, already use many other
modes and are driven by an awareness of
environmental issues and a sense of
responsibility for their contribution to
planetary degradation.
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Stages of change (Prochaska DiClemente)
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442

• There is an alternative for about four in 10 car
  trips a bus service at the right time, or the
  trip is short enough to walk or cycle, and there
  is a safe route.
• For another four in 10 trips, modest improvements
  to the public transport network, or provision of
  a new cycle lane, would provide a practical
  alternative to driving.
• A car is indispensable for only two in 10 trips.
• Car dependent places (rural)
• Car dependent trips (business)
• Car dependent people (die-hard drivers, car
  complacents)

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• The non-car users divide into three types
• CAR SCEPTICS - 35 of non car users and thus 8
  of Scottish adults
• RELUCTANT RIDERS 30 (7 of adults)
• CAR ASPIRERS 35 (8 of adults)
• Car Sceptics are travel aware, environmentally
  aware, managing without a car, more likely to use
  bicycles and to support constraints on unfettered
  car use.
• Reluctant Riders tend to be older and less well
  off, involuntarily dependent on public transport
  and where possible travel as passengers in
  others cars.
• Car Aspirers, more of whom are unemployed, from
  social class DE, and environmentally unaware,
  need better access to destinations than their
  current high bus use provides and for this and
  other reasons aspire to car ownership. It just
  gives you freedom doesnt it? Independence to go
  anywhere you want and come back whenever you
  want. You dont have to wait around.

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Changing Behaviour. (1) Therapy Analogy

• Current behaviour is causing problems in living
  for an individual and their significant others
• The client accepts ownership of the problem and
  shows readiness for change
• They receive regular and graded help from a
  qualified and experienced counsellor with whom
  they can form a therapeutic alliance involving
  mutual respect and regard in a non-threatening
  setting
• Jointly the therapist and client can agree a
  series of small, manageable steps to bridge the
  gap between start state and desired end-state
• Akin to a sports coach or driving instructor
  the counsellor can monitor progress and give fast
  feedback to modify aspirations and techniques
• Once change is achieved, mechanisms to assist
  maintenance and prevent relapse can be put in
  place.

33
Changing Behaviour (2) Parenting Analogy
1. Dont just say Stop it! or smack, say Dont
do that, because ... compelling reasons involving upset and lack of
equity 2. Suggest alternative behaviours,
saying Why not do this instead, because .. of achievable, laudable and pleasant consequences
for self and others 3. Give procedural
assistance, Heres how you can do alternative 4. Indicate that a competent
authority will expend resource, time and effort
in establishment and maintenance of new behaviour
etc. will help you, signaling that successful
adoption of new behaviour is actually of concern
to those in a position to facilitate its
adoption.
34
Change make it easy
Travel blending (Hi. Having problems with your
daily travel? Let me help.) Social marketing
(Try it, youll like it) etc.. .. a series
of small, manageable steps to bridge the gap
between start state and desired end-state. ..
procedural assistance, Heres how .
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Changing Behaviour. (1) Therapy Analogy

• Current behaviour is causing problems in living
  for an individual and their significant others
• The client accepts ownership of the problem and
  shows readiness for change
• They receive regular and graded help from a
  qualified and experienced counsellor with whom
  they can form a therapeutic alliance involving
  mutual respect and regard in a non-threatening
  setting
• Jointly the therapist and client can agree a
  series of small, manageable steps to bridge the
  gap between start state and desired end-state
• Akin to a sports coach or driving instructor
  the counsellor can monitor progress and give fast
  feedback to modify aspirations and techniques
• Once change is achieved, mechanisms to assist
  maintenance and prevent relapse can be put in
  place.

36
Changing Behaviour (2) Parenting Analogy
1. Dont just say Stop it! or smack, say Dont
do that, because ... compelling reasons involving upset and lack of
equity 2. Suggest alternative behaviours,
saying Why not do this instead, because .. of achievable, laudable and pleasant consequences
for self and others 3. Give procedural
assistance, Heres how you can do alternative 4. Indicate that a competent
authority will expend resource, time and effort
in establishment and maintenance of new behaviour
etc. will help you, signaling that successful
adoption of new behaviour is actually of concern
to those in a position to facilitate its adoption.
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Whats going on? Some recent press coverage
Governments are almost certainly wrong to believe
that action on climate change means economic
stagnation. On the contrary, it would probably
lead to an unleashing of a new clean industrial
revolution based on green technology. Many
people care about the environment but they are
stuck in unsustainable patterns of behaviour
because they just dont have access to reliable,
affordable alternatives. It is wrong to assume
that they have free choice in the matter.
Consumers need practical incentives to buy
green goods and services and a very clear
signal that the government is putting its own
house in order. Professor Tim Jackson, U
Surrey We carry on buying new cars, patio
heaters and cheap flights ministers continue to
have an Augustinian attitude to a problem that
might be summed up as Make us green, Lord but
not yet. DHD CC MM AE The government
should take more of a lead in protecting the
environment, even if people 54 89 65 94 dont
like it (All 78)
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Whats going on? More recent press coverage
Bush US Addicted to oil The client accepts
ownership of the problem and shows readiness for
change In Buckinghamshire, the council started
by trying to reduce car commuting by its own
staff. It negotiated travel discounts with the
local bus and train companies installed new
cycle parking set up a car-sharing scheme and
stopped subsidising the expensive parking costs
of new employees. The number of cars driven to
work fell by 40 in five years. A new survey
reveals that the majority of councils feel they
are making little progress on tackling climate
change, blaming a lack of political will. As
crude prices rise, so do US energy majors share
values. Ford, which is shedding 30,000 US jobs
and closing 14 north American factories, is also
heading eastwards. Its Russian plant was working
flat out and its Turkish operation was
expanding. A west German car worker at VW earns
10 times more an hour than his or her Czech
counterpart and at least 30 times more than a
Chinese worker. VW is shedding 20,000 jobs and
Mercedes cutting 16,000.
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Meanwhile, in another part of the forest
Percent of cars exceeding speed limit and
exceeding speed limit by 5 mph at 30 mph sites in
Great Britain (from DfT 2006, Table 8, p.15)
40
LB Safety Camera Partnership. NOP 2005 800 car
drivers
At the moment I am making an effort to reduce my
driving speed 51 I have recently reduced my
usual driving speed 34 BUT I feel more
comfortable driving fast than slow 11 My
passengers sometimes ask me to drive more
slowly 10 I think that speeding will always be
a problem for me 8
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Help!
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Thus

• Were a car dependent nation, but
• Were already multimodal, and
• Half of us want to cut car use.
• If you want people to change you make it as easy
  as possible for them to change.
• What are politicians for? To lead or to follow?
• In Scotland, Transport, Enterprise Lifelong
  Learning better Lifelong Learning, Enterprise
  Transport - we must all ADAPT to a changing
  world, and FAST. This will require lifelong
  learning and much enterprise and sustainable
  (and integrated) transport.

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• THANK YOU
• AND GOOD LUCK!
• s.stradling_at_napier.ac.uk