Smarter Choices

Smarter Choices

SCSP - Smarter Choices, Smarter Places (for the Scottish Government)

A three year study to monitor and evaluate the Scottish Government’s £15m investment in seven local authorities across Scotland to develop travel behaviour change programmes known as ‘smarter choices’. The investment in the towns of Barrhead, Kirkintilloch/Lenzie, Dumfries, Dundee, Glasgow East, Kirkwall, and Larbert/Stenhousemuir, will include new infrastructure, innovative marketing techniques, financial incentives, streetscape improvements and more sharing of vehicles to make better use of urban space and create healthier and cleaner places to live and work. Dr Jillian Anable and Professor John Nelson will work with Derek Halden Consultancy and Integrated Transport Planning (ITP) to undertake the evaluation and monitoring of the programme using quantitative and qualitative techniques. The stated aims of the SCSP evaluation are to provide a baseline profile of travel behaviour against which change can be measured, establish the impacts of the investment in the seven towns and offer feedback to local authorities delivering the improvements to assist with the effectiveness of delivery. The research project will run until June 2012, and interim findings in 2009 and 2010 will be used to refine the programme delivery to ensure better value. Baseline and interim reports can be found on the Scottish Government website.