A research partnership between Transport for West Midlands, Warwickshire County Council, Coventry City Council and Understanding Society has produced a report on walking and cycling in the region.
The report, Determinants of and Barriers to Active Travel in Coventry and Warwickshire, set out to:
- understand what motivates ‘active travel’, and what puts people off trying it
- learn what policies have worked to encourage active travel, and which ones haven’t
- identify potential groups of people and types of short trip where travel behaviour could be influenced.
The results – set out in a new Understanding Society case study – show that people in the West Midlands are less likely to cycle to get somewhere (not for recreation) compared to the rest of the UK, and that they cycle or walk to work less, too.
Looking at the West Midlands on its own, the research found that:
- women are less likely than men to cycle in order to get somewhere, and when commuting, but more likely to walk to work
- people with higher socio-economic status are less likely to cycle and less likely to use active travel when commuting
- those with low socio-economic status are more likely to walk and cycle when commuting
- people from ethnic minority groups are less likely to cycle for transport and commuting, and more likely to walk to work than people not from minority groups.
The researchers have made presentations on the report to the West Midlands Cycling Charter Group and Coventry Council staff, including their recommendations for active travel in the region, such as:
- investigating cheap cycle/e-scooter hire schemes
- looking at how hybrid or remote working can help
- safe cycle parking and safety campaigns to protect cyclists
- opening up town and city centres to cycling and walking on Sundays
- promoting active travel through schools and workplaces.
