Planning approaches to achieve a more sustainable travel industry for tourism in the UK a case study

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Planning approaches to achieve a more sustainable
travel industry for tourism in the UK - a case
study.

• Derek Robbins, John Brackstone, Janet
  Dickinson.
• School of Services Management, Bournemouth
  University.
• Talbot Campus, Fern Barrow, Poole, Dorset.
• Tel [phone].
• Fax [phone].
• e mail drobbins_at_bournemouth.ac.uk

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Policy Conflicts ?

• Transport Policy
• Reduced car dependency. Reduced road traffic.
• Environmental Policy
• 80 decrease in CO2 emissions over 1990 levels
  by 2050
• Tourism Policy
• Growth of 4 per annum

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Options to Achieve Policy Goals

• Modal shift
• Tomorrows Tourism (DCMS 1999) includes case
  studies of increased public transport share and
  decreased car share.
• Longer stays at destination
• Combination of fewer leisure trips combined with
  a longer average stay will increase tourism spend
  and tourism nights without an associated increase
  in trips.

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Define Policy Objectives

• Reduced GHG emissions
• Reduced congestion
• Reduced noise and visual intrusion
• Social Inclusion
• Reduced visitor numbers (conflicts with DCMS 1999)

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What does a Modal shift from Car show ?

• A shift from car to Public Transport.
• GHG emissions - decline
• Visitor numbers - the same
• Growth in PT arrivals (no decrease in arrivals by
  car)
• GHG emissions - increase
• Visitor numbers - increase
• Decline in car arrivals (PT arrivals static)
• GHG emissions - decline
• Visitor numbers - decline

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Modal shift ?

• Indicative of sustainable development
• Clear policy objectives need to be set to measure
  the effectiveness of pokicy

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NT Case Study Methodology.

• April Sept 2008
• 150 Properties
• Self complete questionnaires
• Returned in self complete envelopes
• 79,300 completed questionnaires

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Modal Share of Trips to NT Properties
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Modal Split to NT Properties

• Car share of above 90 is very high, even for
  UK Leisure trips
• On a par with trips to National Parks
• Reflects the remote location of many NT
  properties
• Car share is higher among members, who make up
  the majority of visitors to NT properties.

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Remote Location of NT Properties

• Too easy to accept high car share is inevitable.
• 63 of properties in the survey have a PT service
  (a further 6 have a partial weekend only
  service)
• Provision of a PT service does not in itself
  encourage PT use
• Research did not consider frequency of PT service.

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Impact of Location on Modal Share

• Mode of Transport Used to Access NT Properties
  by Location of Property.
• Mode Built Up Area Rural Area.
• n 7291 n 70867
• Car 75.2 92.1
• Coach 5.2 5.1
• Public Transport 17.6 1.5
• Other 19.4 5.9

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Properties with a High of arrivals by Public
Transport.

• Property PT Car Coach Other Comment
• Birmingham 52.5 48.5 2.0 4.2 Inner City
  Location
• Back to Backs
• Prior Park 42.6 55.9 4.2 0.2 Central Bath.
• Subject to Green
• Transport Plan
• Treasurers House 37.8 43.0
  6.8 7.2 Central York
• Mompeson House 27.6 56.9 11.0 5.9
  Central Salisbury
• Osterley Park 25.3 68.4 4.8 5.2 Greater
  London
• Large PT share
• Despite bus service
• over 15 min walk
• Ham House 21.8 72.3 2.8 9.2 Greater London
• Bus service 15 min
• walk

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Distance Travelled to NT Properties

• From Mean N
• Home 33.48 40875
• Friends / relatives 26.35 6378
• Holiday accom 22.76 29342
• Other 31.0 51527
• Total 28.83 78122

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Distance Travelled to NT Properties

• From Mean N
• Rural 29.24 70488
• Urban 24.78 7252
• Total 28.83 77740

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Prior Park

• No on-site parking
• Designated Green Tourism site
• NT subsidises established bus services
• Creates high PT share gt 40
• But catchment area is more local (60 visitors
  travel under 14 miles)
• Transport policy possibly deflates visitor
  numbers.

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Greenway House

• Green Tourism award winner
• Very limited parking on-site
• Inflexible arrival and departure times - car
• Reduced admission for arriving by PT
• PT journey part of the leisure experience
• Traditional carrot and stick approach
• Impact is significantly reduced dependency by car
  (71)

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Fountains Abbey

• Half price admission for those arriving by bus.
• Under 1 share of arrivals by bus.
• 97 arrivals by car.

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Conclusions

• Little evidence in the reduction to the car share
  of arrivals to NT properties which remains at
  over 90
• The existence of a public transport service does
  not in itself seem to impact on the car share
• If resources are scarce subsidising PT services
  to attractions in rural locations seems
  ineffective

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Conclusions

• Offering reduced admission to those arriving by
  PT can also be ineffective
• The greatest scope to increase PT share of
  arrivals is in urban locations
• Very limited (or NO) parking at the attraction
  significantly increases PT share reduces
  dependence on arrivals by car
• This may be at a cost of reduced overall visitor
  numbers

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Conclusions

• There are limits to what visitor attractions can
  achieve on their own
• There are examples of coordinated efforts to
  reduce dependency on car but they tend to be
  opportunistic, piecemeal and suffer from
  uncertain long term funding.
• NT involved in 28 schemes

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Conclusions

• Government needs to take a lead.
• Set policy objectives for an integrated tourism
  and transport policy
• Establish priorities (social, economic and
  environmental outcomes) in consultation with
  stakeholders
• Establish stable and structured funding