Evaluation of Smarter Choices, Smarter Places

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Evaluation of Smarter Choices, Smarter Places

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Started 11 years ago by SRD
Latest reply from Morningsider

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SRD
Moderator

Active travel intervention and physical activity behaviour: An evaluation

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953614002901 (open access)

"The results suggest that the initiative impacted positively on the likelihood of physical activity participation and meeting the recommended physical activity guidelines. Individuals in the intervention areas were on average 6% more likely to meet the physical activity guidelines compared to individuals in the non intervention areas. However, the absolute prevalence of physical activity participation declined in both intervention and control areas over time."

Posted 11 years ago #
chdot
Admin

CEC now has its own project -

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/download/meetings/id/45763/item_75_-_response_to_smarter_choices_smarter_places_funding

"

SMARTER CHOICES, SMARTER PLACES

As you will be aware, in June, the Minister for Transport and Veterans announced funding of £5m for Smarter Choices, Smarter Places (SCSP) in 2015-16. Transport Scotland has been discussing the distribution of this funding with COSLA and we hope to announce the distribution method after the COSLA Leaders meeting on the 21s1 November. The proposal is that an indicative allocation will be used to distribute the resource. l am writing to you now to update you on the programme of work.

The SCSP pilot programme ran in seven locations across Scotland. The evaluation of the programme is available on the Transport Scotland website: http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/environment/smarter-choices-smarter-places
This funding will allow wider roll out of SCSP across Scotland, taking forward the learning for the pilots.

The policy intent of the funding is to achieve modal shift to active and sustainable travel, reducing driver only journeys. This is revenue funding which can be used for behaviour change or 'soft measures' to complement existing or new infrastructure e.g.. promotion of a cycle route, a new bus route or a car club. The proposal includes 50% match funding requirement, but part of this can be in-kind. Partnership working, e.g. with Regional Transport Partnerships and NHS Boards, will be required to deliver the projects.

As part of the programme, Transport Scotland has grant funded Paths for All to administer the programme and provide support for the projects, including the planning and implementation stages. Proposals will be required from each Local Authority on the programme of work they intend to take forward with this resource. Further information on this will follow in due course, however, you may wish to alert relevant staff so they are aware that funding will be available and to start developing proposals.

"

Posted 11 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"

David Hembrow (@DavidHembrow)
01/02/2015 08:20
"A million volumes of marketing material do not have the same value as one metre of good quality cycle-path"

http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/2013/12/londons-cyclists-are-not-to-blame-for.html

"

"
In order to encourage people to ride bicycles, the choice of doing so has to be made easy. Routes taken by bicycle need to be direct, they need to be as free as possible of stops, and the conditions need to be and to feel very safe. Unless cycling is subjectively safe, most of the population will never cycle.

"

Posted 11 years ago #
gembo
Member

Request please

Can this be linked to the bridge to nowhere study, I skimmed that one and it seemed to get people changing their routes.

The SCSP data is in some respects rather damning. Despite a big push to get people away from driver only journeys, participation in physical activity (proxy) actually fell in both control and intervention groups. Just not as far in the intervention group.

Edinburgh is spending their budget on marketing (including maps - now these are good and have shown me various bits of unjoined path networks across the city over the last five years n.b. Not the inner tube maps but the seven maps for differnt areas of edinburgh with all schools marked and big blue lines where there is a cycle path) but I am with Hembrow. For example if Scot gov said what did edinburgh do with the £450k and the answer was we built a path connecting two other paths then that is a concrete ( or Tarmac) thing that will exist after the marketing fizzles out.

Found story of bridge to nowhere in herald. 45 per cent of those surveyed said they had changed their journey because of the route and nearly 25 per cent said they switched from driving or public transport to walking or cycling because of the route. With cyclists being positive about the raised kerb segregation.

Posted 11 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"Request please

Can this be linked to the bridge to nowhere study"

Not sure what you mean.

This is 'other' thread -

http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14287

Posted 11 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"example if Scot gov said what did edinburgh do with the £450k and the answer was we built a path connecting two other paths"

Yes

BUT

problem is -

"

This is revenue funding which can be used for behaviour change or 'soft measures' to complement existing or new infrastructure e.g.. promotion of a cycle route, a new bus route or a car club.

"

Whether this is because SG believes it works or can just add this to 'look how much money we are spending on cycling' is difficult to determine.

Posted 11 years ago #
gembo
Member

Yes so if it can be used for behaviour change then I am arguing using the albeit limited numbers data on the glasgow study (159 interviews and 33 people at focus groups) that building the path changes the behaviour. Which is what Hembrow is saying. Which is also a fundamental of social psychology from rosa parks onwards. You do not change behaviour by changing people's attitudes. You change their behaviour first and their attitudes follow. Look at Northern ireland, different place now, though of course still extremists around, large amount of money brought in by U.S. and UK govts. Various nefarious deals on past crimes being wiped. Broad result, relative peace.

Switching to the carnage on the roads and the destruction of the environment wrought by vehicle emissions we need to assist councillors in edinburgh to see the merit of the building of routes that flow nicely. The sustrans routes are great in sections but fiddly elsewhere. George street to leith walk needs to be segregated permanently as a starting point?

Posted 11 years ago #
Instography
Member

Does SG have the capacity to shift money from revenue to capital budgets? It's always been difficult to switch money between capital and revenue so it might be that what they have is revenue. It's like that old saying, "if life gives you revenue, make leaflets". Or something.

Posted 11 years ago #
sallyhinch
Member

This is interesting (from 2013) http://www.stevemelia.co.uk/census.html - basically the Smarter Choices towns in England (on which the Scottish scheme was based) have shown no impact on the census data for travel to work, whatever people might have said in before and after surveys. (I'm sure Insto can give it a more thorough fisking)

Posted 11 years ago #
sallyhinch
Member

Oh and from the Dumfries perspective, if they want revenue spending then some grit and a few people with snow shovels would be a good way to do it https://cyclingdumfries.wordpress.com/2015/01/31/words-vs-deeds/

Posted 11 years ago #
chdot
Admin

From Sally's first link -

"

The Cycling City programme in Bristol spent considerably more on infrastructure than marketing. It accelerated a programme of cycle route construction already underway, which is continuing in several places across the West of England area at the moment. Much of the marketing effort was aimed at promoting these routes, which have gradually joined up to create one of the most comprehensive radial networks of any British City. From where I live in the Centre, I can now leave the city on cycle routes in six directions: not all off-road, but joined-up and avoiding heavy traffic. The design quality is variable – Copenhagen or Groningen it ain’t – but the network has created many useful short-cuts for cyclists and pedestrians. For all its faults, I have watched a growing number of cyclists and pedestrians using these routes, particularly at peak times: the trip counts on one of the most improved routes doubled during the Cycling City programme. Some of the marketing did help spread awareness of these routes, though much still remains to be done in that respect.

Part of the credit must be given to First Group, for pricing people off their buses (recently acknowledged with a ‘fares consultation and review’ launched under political pressure).

"

The fact that Edinburgh has (almost) only one bus company is SIGNIFICANT.

The fact it is (to some extent...) controlled by the CEC is also important.

For all those who *like* the tram the key thing (in a wider ActiveTravel/public transport sense) will be whether it (more or less) covers its costs or leads to a noticeable increase in bus fares.

I suspect there will be pressure to increase 'out of town' fares. Maybe a simple two zones fare structure.

Of course 'in Europe' more subsidy for PT is seen as 'natural' as, also, are special local taxes for things like new tram lines.

Posted 11 years ago #
iweir1
Member

Haven't really read the comments but know a lot about the projects having worked on a few in various towns/cities. First thing I will say is that obviously all of the numbers are made up. Completely made up. Secondly, the main theme I came across when speaking to thousands of people on their doorstep or at events was that there was a lot of people who wanted to cycle but didn't because of the lack of cycle infrastructure and safety concerns on the road. Felt like a bit of an idiot trying to get people to cycle when there is no provision to do so. I do not think that the Smarter Choices "soft measures" had any impact, not without hard measures.

Posted 11 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"lot of people who wanted to cycle but didn't because of the lack of cycle infrastructure and safety concerns on the road"

Sadly I think that is completely true.

Somehow Governments (national and local) haven't got 'the message' - or just go for the 'cheap' option knowing it won't work!

Posted 11 years ago #
SRD
Moderator

Have definitely heard it argued - by a city official - that the reason edinburgh's cycling rates went up was because tram-related traffic chaos made buses so slow, and that as soon as the buses went back to normal it would drop again. He seemed quite pleased with that idea.

Posted 11 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"I do not think that the Smarter Choices "soft measures" had any impact, not without hard measures."

I think that is the key.

There have been various projects highlighting the path network in North Edinburgh. Those have probably been worthwhile as it's reasonable comprehensive and 'hidden'.

The 'quality bike corridor' was also promoted - but realistically THAT bit of 'infrastructure' isn't good enough for most people.

Posted 11 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"as soon as the buses went back to normal it would drop again"

Don't know if that happened - data would be nice.

As I have said (many times) CEC failed to take advantage of tram work by saying 'coming soon (sic) wonderful new tram system, the city centre will never be the same again'.

Instead it said 'we're really sorry we'll get things back to normal ASAP.

Of course that didn't turn out to be true - so they failed to 'tell a positive story', and also failed to meet the artificial expectations that they had created!

Posted 11 years ago #
chdot
Admin

[code]Revisiting this because I just found a bit of ephemera -

“

3.6 Among the most successful aspects of the pilot projects was the design and use of a commonly recognisable travel information brand. Market research, carried out by the Council, supports ‘Edinburgh on Foot’ and ‘Edinburgh by Bike’ as easily understandable brand names for walking and cycling information.

3.7 This application of the Transport for Edinburgh brand concept to active travel activities is consistent with the Transport for Edinburgh business plan. Market research, carried out by the Council, recommends the use of the Transport for Edinburgh roundel (Appendix 2), to support an integrated transport concept. Development work will be undertaken in preparation for the project, in the current financial year, to provide for implementation in the spring/summer of 2015.

3.8 It is intended that a plan and programme will be agreed by the Director of Services for Communities, in consultation with the Convener, Vice Convener and Transport and Environment spokespersons. Members of the public and organisations in the Active Travel Forum will be consulted on the proposed priorities. This is consistent with the aims of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill, and co-operative government.

“

https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/Data/Transport%20and%20Environment%20Committee/20150113/Agenda/full_meeting_papers_-_transport_and_environment_-_130115.pdf

‘Plan’ was (apparently) for TfE to actively incorporate cycling (and walking) - not just buses and tram.

I think TfF theoretically is/was ‘responsible’ for the two bike hire schemes, but the current Voi one seems to liaise directly with CEC and not TfE. (The website https://transportforedinburgh.com hasn’t existed for a year.)

I suspect almost nothing happened over past 10 years to learn from/develop anything learned through SCSP.

(That link doesn’t work, info now at https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/cycling-walking-projects-1 )

Posted 2 weeks ago #
chdot
Admin

According to Wikipedia -

“

Transport for Edinburgh (TfE) is an organisation that oversees public transport in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.[1] It manages the city's public transport operations in a similar manner to Transport for London, but with many fewer powers. The organisation works to integrate public transport services in Edinburgh operated by Edinburgh Trams, Lothian Buses and McGill’s Scotland East. It focused solely on buses and trams during its first twelve months and later included cycles.

“

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_for_Edinburgh

But the page hasn’t been been updated for a while…

Posted 2 weeks ago #
chdot
Admin

“

On 26 June 2025, Committee consented to updated Articles of Association for Lothian Buses Limited and approved an Integration Agreement between Lothian Buses Limited, Edinburgh Trams Limited and the City of Edinburgh Council.

“

https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/documents/s87921/7.8%20-%20Update%20on%20the%20Councils%20Transport%20Companies.pdf

EDINBURGH TRANSPORT HOLDINGS LIMITED - https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/SC443895/officers

2 directors, both CEC officials.

Don’t remember any public announcements/comments

OK

Missed all this +

“

The new arms length company will be chaired by Susan Deacon, CBE, current Chair of Lothian Buses. Ms Deacon is a former MSP and Minister, and who is also the lead non-executive director at the Scotland Office after an appointment announced in April 2025.

The Edinburgh Trams board will hold a final meeting in November 2025 and will then stand down and one single new board will oversee the new company.

“

https://theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2025/09/boss-of-new-transport-body-for-edinburgh-named/

And -

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/edinburghs-buses-and-trams-in-move-towards-greater-integration-5315398

Posted 2 weeks ago #
Morningsider
Member

The main function of these bodies appears to be to provide a reserve of board memberships and directorships for doling out to favoured faces and politicians currently down on their luck.

Posted 2 weeks ago #

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