From 'I' to 'we': how theories of social cooperation can inform transport policies designed to reduce reliance on car ownership

Transport decarbonisation demands extensive behaviour change(1), including a shift away from private car ownership and usage to public transport, walking and cycling. Avoiding car use is the single most effective action most individuals can take to reduce their carbon footprint(2). Car ownership imposes localised costs urban air quality, the built environment, transport poverty and existing inequalities.

National and city governments are responding with ambitious targets, like Leeds which "has a vision to be a city where you don't need a car" and Scotland which "aims to reduce vehicle distance travelled by 20% by 2030". To achieve change, novel policies have been trialled, such as Mobility Credits, which use mobility-as-a-service technologies to enable households to trade-in their car and receive credit to use alternative local transport services.

Such policies are not only economic; people's wider social attitudes, values and habits will influence their appeal and responses(3).

However, with limited capability in behavioural science many organisations designing car ownership policies often focus on individual behaviours in isolation(4), despite empirical evidence demonstrating the insufficiency of environmental information and economic incentives alone to change behaviour(5). This research engages in contemporary debates in psychology discussing the need to shift from the 'I frame' (individual) to the 's frame' (societal) within a transport context, including the role of the individual within the household (6).

By partnering with a UK combined authority, Transport for West Midlands, this project has access to travel behaviour data, research participants and policy evaluation.

AIMS - The overall objective is to inform sustainable and equitable transport policy design by applying theories from social psychology in an otherwise understudied setting (transport). By selecting a novel policy, Mobility Credits, this research will be among the first to comprehensively study psychological and behavioural implications of its design, implementation and evaluation. Findings will contribute to literature on social cooperation through conceptual development and empirical studies.

METHODS - Following literature reviews to inform conceptual development, a mixed-methods empirical approach will be used. Qualitative research will explore how residents in West Midlands neighbourhoods think about moving away from car ownership, and the roles of values and social relationships in travel choices. Secondary analysis of longitudinal data on travel behaviour is planned to explore the role of psychological and social factors in changing car ownership and use of alternative transport.

Finally, an experimental study will create alternative designs for mobility credit schemes and evaluate observed (if a field trial is possible) or anticipated (if an online study is more appropriate) responses at an individual and neighbourhood level. Collectively, research findings will inform how transport policies can integrate theory and methods from social psychology into their design, communication and implementation.

IMPACT - Results and recommendations will inform local and national government on the effectiveness of mobility credits and may shape their adoption by the automotive sector and mobility as a service provider. Partnering with Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) will help ensure findings are used by local authorities.

By pursuing a thesis by publication, this research aims to produce four publishable articles in journals of transport policy, travel behaviour and environmental psychology. Conference presentations and mainstream media articles will be produced throughout.