Sapporo city centre in Hokkaido, Japan has been facing traffic congestion problems, largely due to traffic coming from the suburbs. The Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau tried various travel demand management measures but could not reduce traffic substantially. The Travel Feedback Programme (TFP) was developed by the Hokkaido Development Engineering Center in collaboration with academic scholars, based on the Travel Blending Programme in Adelaide, Australia. Attempts were made to implement several parts of the TFP from 1999 to 2000.
The TFP in Sapporo implemented two different programmes: a Community Programme for local community associations and an Education Curriculum Programme for the elementary education level. These targets were selected so that awareness would be raised, not only on an individual but also on a family and/or community basis. The sole objective of the programme was to facilitate changes in travel behaviour so as to reduce the use of automobiles and lessen problems caused by traffic. Participants in the TFP submitted their travel records to the programme coordinator and received feedback in the form of processed data concerning their travel activities, including information of CO2 emissions from their vehicles.
The TFP regularly conducted meetings with local communities and gave lectures to elementary school classes. Participants were provided with explanatory pamphlets and survey materials (Diary 1) and asked to fill them in for seven consecutive days in collaboration with their families. Based on the results of the survey materials, participants were provided with comments under the feedback system. Students were also asked to calculate the CO2 produced by their own activities. This process continued for another week with the same survey materials (Diary 2). The difference in CO2 emissions between their two diaries for each mode of transport was calculated, and the results were shared with the participants.
Critical instruments used for the TFP in Sapporo included personal feedback on transportation activities and relating the feedbacks in class lectures. Filling the TFP diaries generated active discussions within the family. Comparisons between Diary 1 and Diary 2 showed significant changes in participants’ travel patterns, along with a reduction of CO2 emissions. If properly designed and applied at community levels, it was clear that the TFP could reduce automobile use as well as environmental damage and have long-term effects. Along with the availability of alternative measures of transportation, the TFP would also be able to contribute to the reduction of CO2. The TFP has potential as an instrument to use in areas where reliable transport alternatives such as bus and/or rail are readily available and where automobiles are mainly used for shopping and leisure.
Case study courtesy of the UNEP Publication, Reducing Emissions from Private Cars: Incentive measures for behavioural change.