PPS Group Now

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How to Educate and Influence the General Public
towards more sustainable transport behaviour
A Presentation by Stephen Byfield
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Managing Director of PPS Largest independent
public affairs consultancy in UK Not a transport
expert but knows something about selling
difficult messages to the public
SO WHO IS THIS GUY?
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SCOPE OF THE DISCUSSION
How to get and keep political will Can education
encourage modal shift?
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Democracy is the biggest obstacle to the delivery
of public transport systems Politicians
ultimately control decisions They require public
transport to be popular
WHAT IS THIS POLITICAL WILL THING?
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Environmental policies do strike a chord When
asked in opinion polls, the public is pro public
transport MORI in 1998. 71 in favour of
congestion charging If governments fail to
deliver effective public transport they pay a
heavy penalty
BUT PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS POPULAR
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SO, WHATS THE PROBLEM?
In UK, public sends conflicting messages. We
all want better public transport, but we all want
to drive our cars.
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UK Government passing the buck to local
authorities The North East Scotland
experience Ken Livingstone and congestion
charging
MOST PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS DELIVERED LOCALLY
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HOW CAN WE DELIVER POLITICAL WILL?
Delivery of public transport solutions requires
buy in at senior political level Use media and
community relations campaigns to maintain the
buy in
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Need to both educate and endorse Educate through
public relations, community relations
etc Endorse by using third party support to
outflank protest Use polling to tailor campaign
HOW SHOULD THESE CAMPAIGNS WORK?
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Little evidence in UK Schizophrenic
attitude Stick carrot is the only way Need
the carrot in place before the stick is applied
CAN EDUCATION CAUSE MODAL SHIFT?
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Community relations approach pioneered in Perth,
Australia Secured 14 reduction in car journeys.
Results have been sustained UITP held 45
similar trials in Europe only one failure
Not, though, as successful in UK
THE BEST WORK HAS BEEN DONE OUTSIDE UK!
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Requires one to one contact Should target big
traffic generators schools, major employers
etc Needs backing up with high profile local PR
campaign
WHATS THE SECRET TO MAKING IT WORK?
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IS THERE A DOWN SIDE?
Expect a big bill!
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Education and influence are vital at two stages
in the process They support politicians looking
to deliver public transport solutions Done
properly they can result in sustained modal shift
IN CONCLUSION
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Comments, questions, thoughts to
stephen.byfield_at_ppsgroup.co.uk