Let’s start using space for people rather than for cars

This week, Matt and Tom speak to Dr. Ian Walker. Ian teaches Statistics and Traffic Psychology at the University of Bath and has undertaken research on road safety, travel habits and the impact of environmental messaging.

They talked about conflicts engineered by the way we build our streets, how to get transport modes to function amicably together and the impact of private cars on our roads.

As Ian very clearly explains “Very few people in Britain want to kill other members of the public with air pollution. Very few people in Britain want to put children’s lives in danger, but they are doing it. And people need to be made more aware of this disparity between what they want and what they do, and how the easy seduction of motoring is allowing them to live in a way that’s not compatible with what they really want.”

Thought experiments abounded as they learned more about how people psychologically adapt and react to change, and what it could take to encourage the UK to put down their car keys for good.

They delve into the world of Implementation Intentions – a way of forming an artificial habit you can take control of – and talk about how creating and nurturing empathy is key to bringing road users together in a way that’s safe and sustainable.

Making Passenger is an ongoing conversation about digital technology and mass transit mobility trends. We invite anyone who’s interested to get in touch on Twitter @makingpassenger or at [email protected]

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