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Evaluering af miljøtrafikugen 2000

Summary and Conclusions

During 18-24 September 2000, Danish municipalities, counties, organisations, and enterprises carried out a substantial number of locally based activities as part of overall, national efforts under the collective heading of Green Transport Week.

The overall themes for Green Transport Week were "the Daily Trip", which focused on day-to-day commuting between homes, workplaces, childcare institutions, schools, and recreational activities; and "Urban Spaces", which aimed to demonstrate and illustrate how city streets and squares can be used for purposes other than traffic.

Moreover, the concept "Green Transport User" was launched as a central concept during Green Transport Week. The launch of this concept included the introduction of the "Transport Pyramid", a transport-sector parallel to the food pyramid.

The Green Transport Week Secretariat was set up by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency to carry out the launch and implementation of the overall national framework for Green Transport Week, and to promote local activities through sparring, consultative/inspirational materials, and specific information materials.

A total of 45 local authorities chose to be official participants in Green Transport Week and to focus attention on transport, traffic, and the environment under the motto "Rethinking transport habits".

Seven counties participated in the Green Transport Week Scheme, typically by carrying out individual activities such as marketing measures to promote car pooling, incorporation of public transport in local-authority activities, and transport surveys of county employees.

In addition to this, a number of major, national organisations participated in Green Transport Week and carried out nationwide activities and/or activities at local/municipal level. This was true of the Danish Cyclists Federation, the Danish Federation of Company Sport, the Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF), the Danish Society for the Conservation of Nature, the Danish Gymnastics and Sports Associations, and the Green Guides (organised in the association Mobile without a Car). A large number of local branches of green organisations and other interest groups, local Agenda 21 employees, local chambers of commerce, and enterprises also took part in the many local activities during Green Transport Week.

Finally, Green Transport Week involved cooperation between several large enterprises. In collaboration with the Green Transport Week Secretariat, the Ford Motor Company held the National "Environmentally-Friendly Driving Championships".
The objective of this event was to demonstrate how petrol consumption could be reduced through new driving habits. The petrol companies Shell, Q8, and Hydro Texaco launched a competition during Green Transport Week. This event - known as Play, Win, and Wash - took place at 750 participating petrol stations and was intended as an extra incentive for drivers to pick up and read the campaign leaflet on Green Transport Users.

Many of the participating local authorities organised a large and varied selection of activities centred on the two main themes of the campaign.

Bicycle traffic received special attention, as practically all participating local authorities carried out activities where attention was focused on cycling. New transport facilities were tested, including commuter bicycles, station bicycles, and company bicycles, while bicycle trailers and similar were made available to families with children. The most prominent activity on bicycle transport during Green Transport Week was a campaign aimed at encouraging people to go to work by bicycle. Many local authorities supported the campaign.

Campaigns aimed at schools constituted a significant activity in Green Transport Week, which has generated awareness and discussion at many schools, thus leading to substantial local media coverage. These campaigns focused on children's transportation to and from school and the fact that many children are brought to school by car - a fact which not only entails health issues, as many children take too little exercise, but also contributes to transport problems in communities.

To many local authorities, Green Transport Week was a welcome occasion for focusing on commuting by car and for promoting the various car-pool databases on the Internet. This was the case for local authorities that were already associated with one or more of these systems, as well as for those which signed up in connection with Green Transport Week.

Car-free areas constituted part of the activities in 11 municipalities. The scope and extent of roadblocks varied greatly, as did the lengths of time involved. In some places, the blocked-off areas were car-free throughout the entire Green Transport Week, while other areas were closed to traffic for one day only - typically 22 September. In a few municipalities, these events were used to test plans for permanent schemes on car-free streets or areas. The car-free areas were used for different activities - most frequently with some link to transport, traffic, and environmental issues. Exhibitions of various types of environmentally friendly means of transport, such as electrical cars and energy-efficient cars, were popular features and attracted large crowds. In many places, street parties and activities for children served to enliven the car-free areas.

Local-authority activities by theme

Several municipalities were able to focus attention on public transport, e.g. by introducing free transport on city buses during Green Transport Week. In five municipalities, bus transport was free, and one municipality sold a special discount multipleride ticket. In Greater Copenhagen, it was possible to buy the so-called Week 38 Ticket, which cost DKK 125 and was valid for unlimited travel on buses and trains for the entire week.

One in four of all activities included promotion of the concept of Green Transport Users. This was typically done by incorporating such promotion in the local authorities' own materials, for example leaflets, posters, and feature articles in local media.

In this context, the transport pyramid was often used to explain the central issues in Green Transport User concept.

With a view to supporting specific local-authority and county activities as part of Green Transport Week, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency established a Green Transport Pool. This pool granted a total of DKK 1.5 million in support and subsidies to 28 local authorities and one county. In addition to this, the Green Fund granted support to a number of private organisations and green guides to facilitate local events. The Fund granted a total of DKK 420,000 to 18 applicants for activities in connection with Green Transport Week.

Conclusions

Generally speaking, Green Transport Week was a success. As appears from the list on the next page, the criteria for success stipulated during the planning stages of Green Transport Week have been met. Indeed, many of these success criteria have been significantly surpassed. The number of participants involved, the level of awareness generated, and the number of activities carried out all exceeded the original expectations. As regards transport behaviour and environmental impact, however, it is difficult to determine whether the criteria for success have been met. Only little measurement of such impacts has been carried out at local authorities, and this measurement does not constitute a sufficient basis for assessment of whether objectives were met.

A late start

The participants are unanimous in their agreement that Green Transport Week had a very late start. This has caused some problems as regards planning, allocation of resources, local stakeholder involvement, etc. Despite the short notice, however, a remarkable number of activities were successfully carried out.

A total of 45 local authorities, seven counties, six national organisations, and a number of major enterprises took part in Green Transport Week. The level of commitment and activity was generally high; the counties, however, carried out only a few activities. Efforts to involve state authorities met with limited success.

Many of the participating local authorities arranged activities which focused on chil-dren's transport to and from school, and on traffic conditions along the way. Many schools supported these activities and were involved in a series of different campaign events. Aside from the discussion generated on these topics, assessments have shown that week 38 did in fact feature less traffic than usual at many schools.

Almost half of all Green Transport Week activities have focused on bicycle transport to a greater or lesser extent. In addition to the national "Go to Work by Bike" campaign, local authorities have directed attention to many other aspects of cycling: free breakfast for cyclists, access to bringing bicycles on public transport, city bikes, etc. These projects have been many and varied, and generally met with great success.

Car-free areas provided opportunities for activities

One in four of all participating local authorities sealed off specific areas from all car traffic. Generally speaking, however, the scope of these activities was somewhat modest - creating only small oases of car-free areas, dotted around the city. In most places, the car-free areas were well received, particularly where it was possibly to make the car-free space come alive with events and activities. Demonstrations of various forms of more environmentally friendly car technologies, street parties, and activities for children were among the events which attracted people and created a positive atmosphere. In a few places, the car-free-area events were used as vehicles for testing ideas for permanent car-free streets and areas in towns and cities.

In several cases, local chambers of commerce took an active part in the planning of car-free areas, but subsequently found that the results did not benefit their members.

Several local authorities directed attention to public transport during Green Transport Week, e.g. by introducing free travel on city buses for the duration of the week. It was, however, not always possible to establish fruitful cooperation with public-transport companies. Better interplay between local projects and publictransport authorities in cities and regions would have been beneficial.

Car-pooling and car sharing had less impact

Several local authorities used Green Transport Week to register with a carpooling database, thus providing the public with greater scope for environmentally friendly behaviour. The Danish Road Directorate's survey of persons registered with www.pendler.net shows an increase in the number of registrations during Green Transport Week. Despite a fair bit of focus, however, it would appear that the other activities on <car-pooling did not have any significant impact. Car-sharing was not the centre of much attention during the Week. Nonetheless, new car-share clubs have been initiated in three cities.

Media attention and coverage regarding Green Transport Week was massive. More than 700 feature articles made the national and regional newspapers, trade journals, and district papers. If such press coverage was to be obtained through advertising, the cost would be approximately DKK 4.9 million. In addition to this, Green Transport Week was featured frequently on television and radio. The vast majority of articles were either positive or neutral in their reports on Green Transport Week and its events and activities.

2.5 million Danes are aware of Green Transport Week

Surveys by Gallup show that 53 per cent of all Danes are aware of Green Transport Week, and 13 per cent of this group were involved in specific activities during Green Transport Week. Generally speaking, awareness was greater in participating municipalities, as 58 per cent of the population in these areas knew of Green Transport Week, whereas the corresponding figure for non-participating municipalities was 48 per cent.

The population primarily viewed Green Transport Week as an event focusing on environmentally friendly transport issues, and only 4 per cent viewed it as a "smear campaign against cars". A total of 78 per cent of the Danish public feels that it would be a very good or mainly good idea to carry out campaigns like the Green Transport Week in future.

Green Transport Week has created new networks. Cooperation has been established between local authorities, organisations, local chambers of commerce, schools, enterprises, and many others. A total of 93 per cent of all participating local authorities entered into cooperation with external parties, and many participants emphasise such new relations as a significant bonus which may prove valuable in the years to come.

Network communication also creates awareness

Green Transport Week 2000 illustrated how it is possible to achieve broad exposure and high levels of awareness without the use of expensive mass-media campaigns More than half the Danish population were aware of Green Transport Week, solely on the basis of PR efforts and Green Transport-activities. One of the reasons for the effectiveness of the PR efforts was the high level of synergy between central efforts and the many local PR efforts.

Previously, network communication has been viewed as an effective and efficient means for altering attitudes amongst carefully delineated target groups. This remains true, but Green Transport Week 2000 has also proven how network communication can also be an effective and efficient method for creating a highly visible campaign.

Themes as national headings

The Green Transport Week themes, Urban Spaces and the Daily Trip were very well received by participants, and hundreds of events and activities - ranging from free public transport and free city bikes to car-free city centres - were arranged under these national themes.

The launch of the concept Green Transport User met with approval from participants, media, and the public alike. The local authorities state that more than 25 per cent of all activities have been centred on the concept of the Green Transport User.

The vast majority of the local authorities involved have proclaimed a great need for financial support, and with a few exceptions, the size of the subsidies from the Green Transport Week Pool met with approval. The financial support has also had several significant indirect consequences. Several participants have pointed out that such financial support acts as a sign of approval, and this has strengthened political support as well as the opportunities for additional local funding.

The collaboration with the Ford Motor Company generated a lot of media coverage and established a direct rapport with motorists. The "EnvironmentallyFriendly Driving Championships" served to illustrate how petrol consumption can be reduced through changes in driving habits. The collaboration with petrol companies mainly consisted in having these companies act as a distribution network.

The Green Traffic Week Secretariat, acting as the national co-ordinator, central communicator, and go-between was very warmly received by participants. Especially the campaign materials, website, and workshops have been identified by members as important, central measures which linked up the many local activities.

Participants were satisfied with common campaign materials

There was widespread satisfaction with the campaign materials used, and the need for these materials was great. Four out of five of all participants downloaded graphics from the website for use in their own materials. The formats of banners and posters did not, however, suit everyone's needs.

Recommendations

Give longer periods of notice

More longterm planning would offer more favourable conditions for future Green Transport Weeks. A statement to the effect that a Green Transport Week is scheduled for week 38 in the next three years would enable local authorities and other participants to give priority to this event, both in terms of funding and other resources. Such planning would also facilitate more ambitious objectives and criteria for success, as it would be possible to aim for gradual changes concerning knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour.

Financial support for participants and central co-ordination of efforts through a secretariat should continue. It is crucial to have a central network co-ordinator to create contacts and strengthen and render visible the synergies that can arise between the many local activities. Production of campaign materials and nationwide PR efforts should also be significant and centrally managed tasks.

National themes should still be utilised, but they should focus more attention on specific target groups than in 2000. Activities at schools were a great success in 2000, and the cooperation already established provides a good platform for identifying schools as a potential target for national themes in future.

Experience collation and best practice

Hundreds of events and activities were arranged throughout Denmark, and the various participants have gained much experience, good and bad. There are model projects, e.g. from schools, which could easily be implemented in new areas, and materials which could be adapted to suit other regions. This wealth of experience should be communicated.

This might be done by collecting case studies, methods, etc., and publishing them collectively in a report, via the website, etc. The end result might be a handbook featuring model examples as well as spectacular blunders to provide inspiration for anything from local partner involvement to hints on how to carry out "before" and "after" assessments of projects.

An idea seminar for future participants, held at an early stage, and a road show where individuals from model projects tour Denmark to disseminate information are examples of other potential schemes for communicating experience and knowledge.

The networks created should be supported and nurtured

One of the crucial elements of Green Transport Week was the creation of networks. Many of the events and activities held were made possible by new relationships between people. These relationships must be maintained and strengthened. Many local relationships can be continued and expanded without any central or regional intervention, but it could also be possible to strengthen the formation of networks beyond municipal borders.

The two workshops held are good examples of how professional fellowship has been able to bring together representatives from various local authorities, thus forming new relations. The workshops should continue, but relationships may be strengthened even more, e.g. by establishing work groups to address future focus points.

These work groups can meet physically, but logistics argue in favour of the creation of a virtual meeting place. It would be a simple task to expand the website, e.g. with functions that facilitate discussion groups.

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