Personalised Travel Planning (with retailers)
Published on 06 March 2019
United Kingdom
Greater Manchester
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About this good practice
Back in 2013, a new sustainable travel team in Greater Manchester, UK was created in order to incentivise and encourage sustainable travel use.
A key part of this new work was to target personalised information to car drivers on their alternative options and provide incentives for trying these. To achieve this a Personalised Travel Planning programme was created.
Since 2013, a range of audiences have been targeted at different times resulting in the following numbers of participants:
• 25,000 employees
• 15,000 jobseekers
• 2,000 students
Employees
For the most post, employees complete an online or paper survey send via their employer and then their paper packs are delivered to them at events within the business, giving them an opportunity to discuss them with Travel Advisors. Monitoring surveys are sent out via email several months later.
A large proportion of the 25,000 packs were delivered to employees of our shopping centres. Travel advisers went to each outlet in the shopping centre to explain the concept to the manager and left a number of surveys behind. The advisers then collected to completed surveys 1 week later and packs were formed from this. The packs were then distributed within a fortnight at sustainable travel events, hosted by the shopping centre management
A key part of this new work was to target personalised information to car drivers on their alternative options and provide incentives for trying these. To achieve this a Personalised Travel Planning programme was created.
Since 2013, a range of audiences have been targeted at different times resulting in the following numbers of participants:
• 25,000 employees
• 15,000 jobseekers
• 2,000 students
Employees
For the most post, employees complete an online or paper survey send via their employer and then their paper packs are delivered to them at events within the business, giving them an opportunity to discuss them with Travel Advisors. Monitoring surveys are sent out via email several months later.
A large proportion of the 25,000 packs were delivered to employees of our shopping centres. Travel advisers went to each outlet in the shopping centre to explain the concept to the manager and left a number of surveys behind. The advisers then collected to completed surveys 1 week later and packs were formed from this. The packs were then distributed within a fortnight at sustainable travel events, hosted by the shopping centre management
Expert opinion
Regions face a number of challenges in getting individuals to change to low-carbon transport modes. This approach, providing personalised advice, can be expected to have higher impact than other information campaigns, though with higher costs and staff efforts. Though the practice does have relatively high costs compared to some communications campaigns, it has proven to be quick successful, and the application process means that it provides advice only to those who are interested. The practice could be replicated in other regions, particularly if targeting set sub-communities, (e.g., shopping centre staff, university campuses, etc.).
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
Costs vary from around £15 per ePTP to £30+ per full paper PTP. However, it must be noted that much of the costs can be wrapped up in development and the delivery of larger batches of PTPs in one go significantly reduces expenditure.
Evidence of success
Whilst PTP success varies depending on circumstance, e.g. new employees, business relocation, sustain travel access, new infrastructure etc; over 4 years of delivery the results for employees and residents (these audiences receive full PTP and are monitored) have been:
• Employees
An average of 10% of participants have changed mode from car driver to sustainable travel and 45% say their awareness of options has increased.
• Employees
An average of 10% of participants have changed mode from car driver to sustainable travel and 45% say their awareness of options has increased.
Potential for learning or transfer
The fact that TfGM has consistently delivered PTP to a variety of audiences over 5 years means it has a great deal of useful experience that could help inform other’s approaches. There is also an awareness of the reality of delivering a cost effective approach and experience here is crucial to those who wish to sustain delivery beyond funded trial periods.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
other
United Kingdom
Greater Manchester