The sale of electrically assisted bicycles ('e-bikes') is growing at a rapid rate across Europe. ... more The sale of electrically assisted bicycles ('e-bikes') is growing at a rapid rate across Europe. Whereas market data is available describing sales trends, there is limited understanding of the experience of early adopters of e-bike technology. This paper investigates the motives for e-bike purchase, rider experience and perceived impact on mobility, health and wellbeing through in-depth interviews with e-bike owners in the Netherlands and the UK. Findings revealed that the motive for purchasing e-bikes was often to allow maintenance of cycling against a backdrop of changing individual or household circumstances. E-bikes also provided new opportunities for people who would not otherwise consider conventional cycling. Perceptions of travel behaviour change revealed that ebiking was replacing conventional cycling but was also replacing journeys that would have been made by car. There was also a perception that e-biking has increased, or at least allowed participants to maintain, some form of physical activity and had benefitted personal wellbeing. Technological, social and environmental barriers to e-biking were identified. These included weight of bicycle, battery life, purchase price, social stigma and limitations of cycle infrastructure provision. Additional research is necessary to quantify actual levels of mode substitution and new journey generation among new e-bike owners and the impact of e-biking on promoting physical health and mental wellbeing.
This document is the postprint version of the journal article. Some differences between the publi... more This document is the postprint version of the journal article. Some differences between the published version and this version may remain and you are advised to consult the published version if you wish to cite from it. JOURNAL OF TRANSPORT GEOGRAPHY SPECIAL EDITION: CYCLING DRAFT MANUSCRIPT Economic, social and cultural transformation and the role of the bicycle in Brazil.
Transport policies to increase active and sustainable travel in Britain have focused mainly on pe... more Transport policies to increase active and sustainable travel in Britain have focused mainly on persuading people of the health benefits of walking and cycling for short trips, and have assumed that if people can be persuaded that more active travel has personal benefits then behavioural change will follow. Research reported in this paper, based mainly on detailed qualitative research in four English towns, argues that the complexities and contingencies that most people encounter in everyday life often make such behavioural change difficult. Attention is focused on three sets of factors: perceptions of risk; constraints created by family and household responsibilities; and perceptions of normality. It is suggested that unless such factors are tackled directly then policies to increase levels of walking and cycling will have limited success. In particular, it is argued that there needs to be a much more integrated approach to transport policy that combines interventions to make walking and (especially) cycling as risk-free as possible with restrictions on car use and attitudinal shifts in the ways in which motorists view other road users. Such policies also need to be linked to wider social and economic change which, in combination, creates an environment in which walking or cycling for short trips in urban areas is perceived as the logical and normal means of travel and using the car is viewed as exceptional.
The children, parents and staff of the schools we surveyed in England and Germany, who made this ... more The children, parents and staff of the schools we surveyed in England and Germany, who made this research possible. Our thanks also go to the staff at the five local authorities in England, who provided useful advice while we prepared for the survey.
The children, parents and staff of the schools we surveyed in England and Germany, who made this ... more The children, parents and staff of the schools we surveyed in England and Germany, who made this research possible. Our thanks also go to the staff at the five local authorities in England, who provided useful advice while we prepared for the survey.
This article has been withdrawn at the request of editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconv... more This article has been withdrawn at the request of editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy
The UK National Cycle Network (NCN) developed by the transport organisation, Sustrans, is a signi... more The UK National Cycle Network (NCN) developed by the transport organisation, Sustrans, is a significant policy intervention aimed at encouraging cycling. Around half of the population is purported to live within one mile of the 20,000 km Network. Traffic-free paths (separated from the public highway away from motor traffic) form about one third of the Network but account for around 80% of trips. The importance of NCN urban traffic-free paths in encouraging people to cycle is often assumed but despite large aggregate datasets characterising users, there is no research on the effects on the local communities which they serve. This paper presents research which aimed to identify the contribution of a typical section of NCN urban traffic-free path in encouraging cycling for everyday travel amongst a community living adjacent to this type of intervention. First, the paper outlines the characteristics of the NCN, the philosophy behind the development of urban traffic-free paths and the barriers to cycling which such interventions seek to overcome. Then findings of a controlled cross-sectional survey of two neighbourhoods in a medium size town in the English Midlands (which are demographically similar except that one is located adjacent to a section of NCN urban traffic-free cycle path intervention) are discussed. In conclusion the paper reveals that provision of NCN urban traffic-free cycle paths alone may be insufficient in encouraging a shift from car to cycling for everyday travel purposes. The data from the study corroborates evidence that suggests that a wider coordinated multi-faceted approach to promoting cycling is required which combines social marketing with physical measures including; wider speed restrictions in urban areas, investment in high quality segregated cycle facilities on major roads, and general land use and transport policies that 'advantage cycling' and reduce the convenience of the car.
Where a licence is displayed above, please note the terms and conditions of the licence govern yo... more Where a licence is displayed above, please note the terms and conditions of the licence govern your use of this document. When citing, please reference the published version. Take down policy While the University of Birmingham exercises care and attention in making items available there are rare occasions when an item has been uploaded in error or has been deemed to be commercially or otherwise sensitive.
Decision makers and authorities largely ignore cycling when conceptualising and developing progra... more Decision makers and authorities largely ignore cycling when conceptualising and developing programmes to support older mobility and therefore, unsurprisingly, levels of cycling in the United Kingdom are low compared to other northern European nations. Cycling has the potential to play an important role in the active ageing agenda and provide older citizens with a form of independent mobility that enhances personal health and wellbeing. The chapter provides evidence of the important role cycling does and could play in older people’s mobility and outlines ways in which older cycling could be supported and promoted.
Introduction: The psychological predictors of behaviour change may differ from the predictors of ... more Introduction: The psychological predictors of behaviour change may differ from the predictors of engaging in behaviour, and there is limited evidence on the associations between psychological constructs and changes in physical activity behaviours such as walking and cycling. This study of observational cohort data examined whether an extended version of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (eTPB) predicted change in walking and cycling for transport and recreation using a population-based sample of adults from three UK municipalities. Methods: We used baseline, 1-year and 2-year follow-up data from the iConnect study. Nine psychological constructs from the eTPB as well as weekly time spent (i) walking and (ii) cycling, each (i) for transport and (ii) for recreation, were self-reported at all time points. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine associations between baseline eTPB constructs and (i) increases and (ii) decreases in the four behavioural outcomes, adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics. Results: 1796 and 1465 participants provided 1-and 2-year follow-up data, respectively. All eTPB constructs except subjective norms were associated with changes in at least one of the four outcomes, but these amounted to relatively few significant associations among the large number tested. In general, eTPB constructs were more often associated with increases than with decreases in time spent walking and cycling. Conclusions: This is one of the first known studies to examine psychological predictors of change in walking and cycling for transport and recreation using an extended TPB. Future interventions to promote walking and cycling through individually delivered approaches might consider fostering the development of positive attitudes, perceived behavioural control, intentions, and habits for these behaviours.
Increased walking and cycling for short journeys in urban areas has many obvious advantages yet s... more Increased walking and cycling for short journeys in urban areas has many obvious advantages yet so far gains from the promotion of more sustainable travel of this type are mostly small. This paper reports on a large research project which uses a mixed method approach to explore attitudes to and perceptions of walking and cycling, and which examines the process of household decision-making for everyday travel and the constraints that this imposes. Using survey, interview and ethnographic data it is argued that many people hold ambiguous and sometimes contradictory views of walking and cycling as effective means of everyday travel, that what they do rarely matches precisely what they believe, and that the complexity and contingency associated with everyday travel for many households is a major barrier to the use of more sustainable travel modes. It is suggested that better understanding of these processes could help to inform both future transport policy and the promotion of walking and cycling for short trips in urban areas.
The sale of electrically assisted bicycles ('e-bikes') is growing at a rapid rate across Europe. ... more The sale of electrically assisted bicycles ('e-bikes') is growing at a rapid rate across Europe. Whereas market data is available describing sales trends, there is limited understanding of the experience of early adopters of e-bike technology. This paper investigates the motives for e-bike purchase, rider experience and perceived impact on mobility, health and wellbeing through in-depth interviews with e-bike owners in the Netherlands and the UK. Findings revealed that the motive for purchasing e-bikes was often to allow maintenance of cycling against a backdrop of changing individual or household circumstances. E-bikes also provided new opportunities for people who would not otherwise consider conventional cycling. Perceptions of travel behaviour change revealed that ebiking was replacing conventional cycling but was also replacing journeys that would have been made by car. There was also a perception that e-biking has increased, or at least allowed participants to maintain, some form of physical activity and had benefitted personal wellbeing. Technological, social and environmental barriers to e-biking were identified. These included weight of bicycle, battery life, purchase price, social stigma and limitations of cycle infrastructure provision. Additional research is necessary to quantify actual levels of mode substitution and new journey generation among new e-bike owners and the impact of e-biking on promoting physical health and mental wellbeing.
This document is the postprint version of the journal article. Some differences between the publi... more This document is the postprint version of the journal article. Some differences between the published version and this version may remain and you are advised to consult the published version if you wish to cite from it. JOURNAL OF TRANSPORT GEOGRAPHY SPECIAL EDITION: CYCLING DRAFT MANUSCRIPT Economic, social and cultural transformation and the role of the bicycle in Brazil.
Transport policies to increase active and sustainable travel in Britain have focused mainly on pe... more Transport policies to increase active and sustainable travel in Britain have focused mainly on persuading people of the health benefits of walking and cycling for short trips, and have assumed that if people can be persuaded that more active travel has personal benefits then behavioural change will follow. Research reported in this paper, based mainly on detailed qualitative research in four English towns, argues that the complexities and contingencies that most people encounter in everyday life often make such behavioural change difficult. Attention is focused on three sets of factors: perceptions of risk; constraints created by family and household responsibilities; and perceptions of normality. It is suggested that unless such factors are tackled directly then policies to increase levels of walking and cycling will have limited success. In particular, it is argued that there needs to be a much more integrated approach to transport policy that combines interventions to make walking and (especially) cycling as risk-free as possible with restrictions on car use and attitudinal shifts in the ways in which motorists view other road users. Such policies also need to be linked to wider social and economic change which, in combination, creates an environment in which walking or cycling for short trips in urban areas is perceived as the logical and normal means of travel and using the car is viewed as exceptional.
The children, parents and staff of the schools we surveyed in England and Germany, who made this ... more The children, parents and staff of the schools we surveyed in England and Germany, who made this research possible. Our thanks also go to the staff at the five local authorities in England, who provided useful advice while we prepared for the survey.
The children, parents and staff of the schools we surveyed in England and Germany, who made this ... more The children, parents and staff of the schools we surveyed in England and Germany, who made this research possible. Our thanks also go to the staff at the five local authorities in England, who provided useful advice while we prepared for the survey.
This article has been withdrawn at the request of editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconv... more This article has been withdrawn at the request of editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy
The UK National Cycle Network (NCN) developed by the transport organisation, Sustrans, is a signi... more The UK National Cycle Network (NCN) developed by the transport organisation, Sustrans, is a significant policy intervention aimed at encouraging cycling. Around half of the population is purported to live within one mile of the 20,000 km Network. Traffic-free paths (separated from the public highway away from motor traffic) form about one third of the Network but account for around 80% of trips. The importance of NCN urban traffic-free paths in encouraging people to cycle is often assumed but despite large aggregate datasets characterising users, there is no research on the effects on the local communities which they serve. This paper presents research which aimed to identify the contribution of a typical section of NCN urban traffic-free path in encouraging cycling for everyday travel amongst a community living adjacent to this type of intervention. First, the paper outlines the characteristics of the NCN, the philosophy behind the development of urban traffic-free paths and the barriers to cycling which such interventions seek to overcome. Then findings of a controlled cross-sectional survey of two neighbourhoods in a medium size town in the English Midlands (which are demographically similar except that one is located adjacent to a section of NCN urban traffic-free cycle path intervention) are discussed. In conclusion the paper reveals that provision of NCN urban traffic-free cycle paths alone may be insufficient in encouraging a shift from car to cycling for everyday travel purposes. The data from the study corroborates evidence that suggests that a wider coordinated multi-faceted approach to promoting cycling is required which combines social marketing with physical measures including; wider speed restrictions in urban areas, investment in high quality segregated cycle facilities on major roads, and general land use and transport policies that 'advantage cycling' and reduce the convenience of the car.
Where a licence is displayed above, please note the terms and conditions of the licence govern yo... more Where a licence is displayed above, please note the terms and conditions of the licence govern your use of this document. When citing, please reference the published version. Take down policy While the University of Birmingham exercises care and attention in making items available there are rare occasions when an item has been uploaded in error or has been deemed to be commercially or otherwise sensitive.
Decision makers and authorities largely ignore cycling when conceptualising and developing progra... more Decision makers and authorities largely ignore cycling when conceptualising and developing programmes to support older mobility and therefore, unsurprisingly, levels of cycling in the United Kingdom are low compared to other northern European nations. Cycling has the potential to play an important role in the active ageing agenda and provide older citizens with a form of independent mobility that enhances personal health and wellbeing. The chapter provides evidence of the important role cycling does and could play in older people’s mobility and outlines ways in which older cycling could be supported and promoted.
Introduction: The psychological predictors of behaviour change may differ from the predictors of ... more Introduction: The psychological predictors of behaviour change may differ from the predictors of engaging in behaviour, and there is limited evidence on the associations between psychological constructs and changes in physical activity behaviours such as walking and cycling. This study of observational cohort data examined whether an extended version of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (eTPB) predicted change in walking and cycling for transport and recreation using a population-based sample of adults from three UK municipalities. Methods: We used baseline, 1-year and 2-year follow-up data from the iConnect study. Nine psychological constructs from the eTPB as well as weekly time spent (i) walking and (ii) cycling, each (i) for transport and (ii) for recreation, were self-reported at all time points. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine associations between baseline eTPB constructs and (i) increases and (ii) decreases in the four behavioural outcomes, adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics. Results: 1796 and 1465 participants provided 1-and 2-year follow-up data, respectively. All eTPB constructs except subjective norms were associated with changes in at least one of the four outcomes, but these amounted to relatively few significant associations among the large number tested. In general, eTPB constructs were more often associated with increases than with decreases in time spent walking and cycling. Conclusions: This is one of the first known studies to examine psychological predictors of change in walking and cycling for transport and recreation using an extended TPB. Future interventions to promote walking and cycling through individually delivered approaches might consider fostering the development of positive attitudes, perceived behavioural control, intentions, and habits for these behaviours.
Increased walking and cycling for short journeys in urban areas has many obvious advantages yet s... more Increased walking and cycling for short journeys in urban areas has many obvious advantages yet so far gains from the promotion of more sustainable travel of this type are mostly small. This paper reports on a large research project which uses a mixed method approach to explore attitudes to and perceptions of walking and cycling, and which examines the process of household decision-making for everyday travel and the constraints that this imposes. Using survey, interview and ethnographic data it is argued that many people hold ambiguous and sometimes contradictory views of walking and cycling as effective means of everyday travel, that what they do rarely matches precisely what they believe, and that the complexity and contingency associated with everyday travel for many households is a major barrier to the use of more sustainable travel modes. It is suggested that better understanding of these processes could help to inform both future transport policy and the promotion of walking and cycling for short trips in urban areas.
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