2g Setting Targets

Targets should be developed to measure whether the Plan is meeting its objectives. They should be set in relation to local circumstances and existing patterns of travel behaviour.

A target can be a date by which an initiative is achieved, for example installation of cycle parking. Alternatively a target can be a change in travel behaviour arising as a result of introducing an initiative, for example doubling the number of cyclists by a certain date.

It is important that any targets are realistic and achievable. If staff are presented with targets that have not been reached despite concerted efforts to change travel behaviour, then your Plan will lose credibility and support.

The findings of your staff survey will provide a guideline for the potential change in travel behaviour that you could expect. However you need to take into account that there is a difference between what people say and what they actually do. A general rule is only half the people who say they will change their travel behaviour do so. This is reduced to a quarter when calculating targets for cycling.

Setting Targets: An Example

• a staff survey of one hundred employees finds that ten staff travel by bus (10%) and that a further twenty (20%) staff who currently drive by car would consider travelling by bus if discounted ticketing was introduced
  
• postcode analysis indicates that half (ten) of these staff live within a five minute walk of an existing high frequency bus route

To calculate the target for increasing bus use:

• twenty staff say they would change to bus if discounted tickets were introduced
  
• Of these, ten actually have access to a good bus route
  
• if we apply the general rule of halving this to allow for the difference between what people say and what people do this means we can increase bus use by five (5%)
  
• The target for increasing bus use would be from 10% (currently) to 15% (by 2004, for example)

Deciding on Objectives
Keys to Success, Management
Keys to Success, Staff
Staff Travel Survey
Conducting Travel Surveys
How to Conduct a Site Audit
Setting Targets