Travel behaviour of car users during the UK fuel crisis and insights into car dependence

The September 2000 fuel crisis was, in effect, an impromptu experiement of driver behaviour in response to the imposition of vehicle fuel rationing. This represented a rare and important opportunity to gain fresh insights into car dependence and how households and individuals can adust their routine and trip-making to influence the extent of dependence on the car. It is perhaps the first time for some 30 years that researchers have had the opportunity to gather revealed preference data as opposed to only stated preference data on such matters on a large scale. The EPSRC provided 'emergency' funding to enable the Transportation Research Group at the University of Southampton to conduct a large scale questionnaire survey immediately following the crisis. This has been completed with over 2500 responses received from across the UK. This proposal is for funds to proceed with the data entry and processing, analysis and interpretation of the survey responses and to disseminate the findings and thereby draw the study to a conclusion. The study will seek to highlight the extent to which individuals are able and willing to reduce their use of the car. It will aim to identify what individual and household circumstances and trip purposes are most and least reliant on the car as a necessity for mobility and accessibility. To ensure the value of the findings from this rare and important opportunity are maximised the project will be supported by a small Panel of Expert Advisors. To ensure prompt and widespread dissemination of the findings of this and other studies relating to the fuel crisis a seminar will be held and a book published.