Feasibility of a randomised controlled trial of financial incentives to promote alternative travel modes to the car

Alternatives to the car, such as walking, cycling and public transport can integrate physical activity into everyday life. Interventions promoting alternatives to the car targeting individual behavior have shown modest effects, and supportive environments appear important. This mixed-method study assesses the scientific and operational feasibility of conducting a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of individual financial incentives within a supportive physical environment. The authors invited residents of Northstowe, Cambridgeshire, UK who had not previously claimed financial incentives to complete a baseline questionnaire assessing socio-demographic characteristics and travel behavior. On completion, households were randomly assigned to (1) control – claimed incentives online; (2) intervention - received incentives via email; and (3) intervention plus - received greater value incentives via email. The authors assessed incentive use via questionnaires at three and six months. Longitudinal qualitative interviews at baseline, three months and six months elicited views of incentives and factors influencing use. In the study, 99 residents from 88 households (household response rate: 88/475 (19%)) completed the baseline questionnaire and were randomized at household level. The local authority delivered all incentives. Compared to the control group, incentive use was higher in the intervention and intervention plus groups at six months, but there was little difference between intervention and intervention plus group. Qualitative data suggests that incentives worked by prompting existing intentions, raising awareness of alternative travel modes and to a lesser degree by reducing travel cost. This resulted in some new leisure travel behavior, but most often to subsidize existing travel. Qualitative data suggests that existing travel preferences and environmental conditions influenced incentive use. It is feasible to deliver an RCT in collaboration with a local authority and future trials should account for recruitment challenges. Reducing the effort required to obtain incentives increased their use, but future research should investigate the surrounding enabling environmental contexts.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2023.101673
• Record URL:
  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140523001093
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/22141405
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Garrott, Kate
  • 0009-0009-8714-5408
  • Foley, Louise
  • 0000-0003-3028-7340
  • Cummins, Steven
  • Adams, Jean
  • Panter, Jenna
  • 0000-0001-8870-718X
• Publication Date: 2023-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: References;
• Pagination: 101673
• Serial:
  • Journal of Transport & Health
  • Volume: 32
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 2214-1405
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/22141405

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Mode choice; Nonmotorized transportation; Social factors; Travel behavior; Trip purpose
• Geographic Terms: Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01889992
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 14 2023 8:53AM