Mode shift: Safety interventions pave way for transport transformation

A team led by WSP technical principal for behavioural science Jared Thomas was commissioned by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency to understand how effective safer journey interventions are in encouraging ‘mode shift’.

Mode shift sounds more like a button you’d find on a TV remote or gaming console. But in the world of transport planning, it’s about encouraging people to get out of cars and use healthier, more sustainable transport modes - like public transport, cycling, and walking.

WSP’s research team spoke to local and international experts, examined case studies, and synthesized volumes of literature to get to the heart of the matter.

Safety concerns are one of the main barriers to walking and cycling. But if neighbourhoods prioritise infrastructure improvements like dedicated bike lanes, well-lit paths, and pedestrian crossings, people will feel safer and more confident using these modes of travel.

“The evidence we found shows that if we create safe environments that encourage and support alternative transport options, people are more likely to choose these options over driving,” says Jared.

A quote from one of the experts interviewed for the research is telling. ‘We've made high speeds safer for drivers of cars. But we're not doing this for other [transport] modes. If I step out my door, I should be safe.’

Jared says enhanced safety measures can significantly increase the attractiveness of active transport options and reduce dependence on driving. Plus, as a bonus, active modes of travel can boost social interactions and community engagement.

“When people walk, cycle, or take public transport, they have more opportunities to interact with others. This sense of community can strengthen social ties, foster a vibrant local economy, and create more liveable neighbourhoods."

Infrastructure that separates vehicles and cycling is especially effective for safety and mode shift. Among many examples looked at by the research team was a programme in Seville, Spain where a network of 200 kilometres of traffic-separated cycle lanes was built between 2006 and 2011.

Car trips in Seville decreased by almost nine percent during that period. Cycling and public transport use both increased by four percent. The cycling injury rate dropped like a stone – from 1.82 per 100,000 trips to 0.55 - and deaths and serious injuries from cycling almost halved.

With walking, designing safe routes makes all the difference for mode shift and safety. A USD$1.2 billion Safe Routes to School programme in the US between 2005 and 2012 resulted in 13 percent increase in walking and cycling to school. There was a 44 percent reduction in the rate of injury for school-aged pedestrians during school travel hours.

A safe route to transit programme in Ruse, Bulgaria involving separated cycleways, improved LED lighting, video surveillance, a park and ride facility and 'good night' trolley bus, resulted in a 20 percent drop in car use, 15 percent increase in walking and cycling, and 20 percent increase in public transport use. Another safe route to transit programme - in San Francisco - saw an uptake in walking and bus use. Cyclists also reported feeling safer.

Locally, a transport engineering and community education project in Nelson saw a 22 percent increase in pedestrian traffic in the CBD, a reduction in pedestrian / cyclist crashes, and a 7 percent reduction in reported crime. Elsewhere, a project in Rosehill, Auckland involving traffic calming and speed limit reductions had 76 percent of people surveyed saying they felt safer. Plus, there was a 44 percent increase in people saying they used at least one active mode of travel – mostly walking.

There's lots of ways to get smarter about how we design and build transport networks that are safe for all road users. Better monitoring and equity around injury data, for instance, came through as a strong theme in the research team’s expert interviews.

Integrating crash analysis system (CAS) data with hospitalisation data would be a gamechanger in our understanding of injuries on Aotearoa’s transport networks, says Jared. Pedestrian and cycling-related injury incidents should be included alongside vehicle-related injury incidents. Currently, there's an imbalance in how this data is used.

The potential of AI camera-based data as a tool for monitoring can also be explored. This technology is already being used in places like London to supply data for analysis, including 'near-misses' between pedestrians, motorists, and cyclists.