Department of Transport publishes new behavioural interventions report

The Department for Transport has published two reports arising from research commissioned in 2023, that examine whether, and how, behavioural travel interventions can be improved by coinciding them with changes in society or people’s lives.  Authored by the DfT Behavioural Science Team and TRL, the reports assess the evidence for the proposition that interventions to bring about transport behaviour change are particularly effective at moments of change and identify the characteristics of a moment of change which are particularly relevant to transport practitioners.

The team found that there are life events—such as moving home, starting a new job, or experiencing transport disruptions—that disrupt established routines, making individuals more open to altering their travel habits. They outline various scenarios, including starting university, job relocation, moving home, learning to drive, and experiencing transport disruptions to illustrate how interventions can be tailored to specific moments of change.