A new study to understand how residents use active travel in their daily lives was launched yesterday by the council.

Cornwall Council has teamed up with the University of Bath and the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations to carry out research into what influences the travel behaviours of people living in Cornwall.  

Anyone living or working in Truro, Falmouth, Penryn, Newquay, Penzance, or St Austell and aged 16 or over can take part. 

Participants also need to have an interest in active ways to travel such as walking, cycling, or wheeling. Those involved will also need to own a smartphone. 

The study will involve a behaviour change intervention, two short online surveys, and an online travel diary for four weeks with a total time commitment of one hour. 

 All respondents will receive a £25 gift voucher for taking part in the study.  

The information provided will be used by the research team and council to understand what influences residents' travel behaviour. 

Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh, director of the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations, said: 

"This collaborative project with Cornwall Council will help us understand how to encourage healthier, greener ways of travelling amongst Cornish residents and trialling different ways to reduce car use. This will help tackle climate change and air pollution, and can save residents money."  

Councillor Connor Donnithorne, Cornwall's cabinet member for transport, said:

"We're committed to putting the infrastructure in place to help people to make more sustainable choices about how they travel. This study will help us understand residents' travel habits and what influences them to choose active ways to travel such as cycling and walking." 

Councillor Martyn Alvey, Cornwall's cabinet member for environment and climate change, said:

"We're delighted that the University of Bath and the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations are leading on this research and are grateful to everyone taking part. This study will help us in supporting Cornwall to become carbon neutral."  

This research has been reviewed and approved by the University of Bath's Department of Psychology Research Ethics Committee (reference: 23 - 079).  

 Taking part in this study is entirely voluntary and respondents are free to withdraw at any time before completing the survey or travel diary by closing their browser.  

All data collected is anonymous and confidential and email addresses will be permanently deleted within 14 days of the study's completion.  

 Please contact the research team at the University of Bath for further information: Mark Wilson ([email protected]) or Lorraine Whitmarsh ([email protected]).