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CAN PUBLICITY REALLY CONTROL TRAFFIC GROWTH?

This short article reports the results and consequences of a 100,000 pound feasibility study of the scope for publicity to change people's travel patterns, especially their use of cars. Hampshire County Council, England, commissioned this study by a consortium of organisations including the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL). Based on the report's findings, the Council is considering a wide- ranging three-year programme to tackle public attitudes to the social costs of car travel, and to publicise the link between individual actions and total traffic levels. The consultants suggest that such a publicity programme could reduce traffic levels by 1% to 5% or at least prevent their increase. Although it would be expensive, cost benefit ratios of up to 26:1 are estimated from direct savings and indirect benefits such as reduced pollution. To ensure that these savings are actually achieved, it is recognised that there need to be parallel improvements in public transport and in conditions for pedestrians and cyclists. Thus publicity measures could be an effective method of maximising the effects of other measures to reduce traffic growth. Hampshire will carefully monitor the effect of its planned programme, and hopes to show how its principles can be applied elsewhere. The study itself extensively surveyed public attitudes, using discussion groups.

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  • Corporate Authors:

    LOCAL TRANSPORT TODAY

    QUADRANT HOUSE, 250 KENNINGTON LANE
    LONDON,   United Kingdom  SE11 5RD
  • Publication Date: 1994-1-20

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Features: References;
  • Pagination: p. 11
  • Serial:

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00665262
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
  • Files: ITRD
  • Created Date: Sep 9 1994 12:00AM