Cycling and walking related initiatives
From 2005 to 2008 the Cycling Demonstration Towns programme saw six towns across England receive European funding to deliver a range of measures designed to increase cycling levels. Sustrans Research and Monitoring Unit was responsible for the monitoring of the programme where a 27% average increase in cycling across all six towns was observed.
Additional funding awarded in January 2008 allowed Cycling England to recruit England's first Cycling City and eleven new towns in addition to those already established, creating the Cycling City and Towns programme. Sustrans' Research and Monitoring Unit conduct monitoring in all eighteen locations.
Finding New Solutions is a Cycling England initiative aiming to introduce cycling to different audiences through leisure, workplaces and train stations. Sustrans Research and Monitoring Unit is responsible for the overall evaluation of the programme, but is more directly involved with the Leisure and Workplaces strands.
Through the Future Jobs Fund, Sustrans hired 182 long-term unemployed, young people on six-month contracts to upgrade and maintain parts of the National Cycle Network. The Research and Monitoring Unit was involved in evaluation of the project.
The Research and Monitoring Unit holds a 'strategic partner' relationship with the EPSRC. As part of this activity a small number of projects and studentships are underway.
The iConnect study aims to measure and evaluate the changes in travel, physical activity and carbon emissions related to Sustrans' Connect2 programme. The five-year iConnect study started in May 2008 and involves a broad evaluation of the whole programme coupled with detailed investigations at five specific sites.
The Visions 2030 research project assesses the potential in the UK for achieving substantial increases in walking and cycling by 2030. Through innovative approaches to analysis, longer term targets can be reached and the step changes necessary to fully maximise the potential of walking and cycling in achieving a sustainable transport system and a more inclusive society can be realised. Sustrans is involved in supporting the translational element in this work to support local authorities.
The Understanding Walking and Cycling project is looking at household level decision making on transport choice. Recent reviews of research on travel behaviour have emphasised that the way in which travel decisions are made remains poorly understood. This research seeks to fill this research gap through an in-depth analysis of household decision making with respect to short journeys in urban areas. Sustrans is supporting the project by providing access to case studies and advising on project outputs.
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