'Soft' Measures – soft option or smarter choice for early energy savings in the transport sector?

Panel: Panel 3. Sustainable transport and land use

Authors:
Jillian Anable, The Robert Gordon University
Sally Cairns
Lynn Sloman
Phil Goodwin
Alistair Kirkbride
Carey Newson

Abstract

Transport is the sector in which energy use is rising most rapidly. However, energy consumption in the transport sector cannot be achieved by improvements in efficiency alone. Rather, more fundamental behavioural changes are required which alter people's aspirations, motivations and ultimately their travel and lifestyle choices. With more or less coercive polices such as national road pricing and personal carbon allowances being at best a long way off, this paper discusses the potential for 'softer' policies which encourage voluntary behaviour shifts to contribute to transport energy reduction in the shorter term.

In recent years, there has been growing interest in a range of so called 'soft' transport policy initiatives. By facilitating attractive, relatively uncontroversial, and relatively cheap alternatives, these initiatives seek to give better information and opportunities which affect the free choices made by individuals. Initiatives include workplace travel plans, individualised journey planning, car clubs, public transport information, marketing and teleworking.

This paper will present the evidence collated for a recent study of 'soft measures' for the UK Department for Transport which concluded that: '... the voluntary changes in car use brought about by soft measures could amount to a reduction in the order of 11% of traffic at the national level (high intensity scenario) and 3% in the low intensity scenario local '. Projections for peak period traffic reduction at the level ranged between 5% and 21% in urban areas. This translates into a saving of 2.76 MtC by 2010. It is important to note that whilst this study suggests that car use can be reduced by up to 21% at the level of individual choices, converting these individual choices into the equivalent effect on traffic in aggregate depends on supportive other policies in particular to avoid induced traffic by other individuals filling the available road space. This was a strongly emphasised conclusion in the analysis.

This paper asks whether soft measures are an effective way of bringing about early energy savings in the transport sector and a means of preparing the way for 'harder' policies in the medium and longer term.