Transport social research and evaluation
Social research and evaluation reports, guidance and toolkits that help shape policy and operational delivery across the Department for Transport.
Government social researchers provide fit-for-purpose, timely evidence and technical expertise on social and behavioural aspects of transport to inform policy and operational delivery across the Department for Transport (DfT) and its agencies.
Social research generates data and analysis using the methods of social science such as:
- social surveys
- focus groups
- in-depth interviews
- case studies
- deliberative research
All the social research we do follows the government social research (GSR) code set out in the Government social research: profession strategy 2015 to 2020.
The DfT social and behavioural research team also provides advice and expertise in the application of behavioural insights to policy and operations.
Behavioural insights is a branch of social science that explains how people make decisions and how this influences their behaviour. This can help policypolicymakers makers and internal teams design effective solutions to behavioural challenges.
Newer areas of behavioural insights include their application to the behaviour of organisations.
Evaluation
Monitoring and evaluation are important activities for any learning organisation whichthat aims progressively to improve its performance. They allow for systematic learning from past and current activities – ‘what works, what doesn’tdoes not work’ and ‘why’. This provides theDfT department with greater accountability and a strong evidence base for future decision making.decision-making.
Travel
Aviation and ageing population research and evaluation reportsflying
COVID-19
Social and behavioural research and evaluation reports
relating to COVID-19.
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TheInternational experiencestravel: ofpublic disabledattitudes non-usersduring of railCOVID-19
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WheelchairTravel accessiblebehaviour, travel:attitudes taxi and privatesocial hireimpact servicesof COVID-19
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Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination and confidence in travel
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Confidence in using public transport during coronavirus (COVID-19)
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Message testing studies on transport and coronavirus (COVID-19)
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InternationalConfidence travel:using publictransport attitudes during COVID-19coronavirus (COVID-19)
Cross-cutting and multimodal
Social and behavioural research and evaluation reports relating to cross-cutting and multimodal transport.
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SharedOur mobility:changing usertravel attitudes– how people’s travel choices are changing
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TravelTransport behaviour, attitudes and socialtransport impacttechnology: ofpublic COVID-19attitudes tracker
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InclusiveDisabled Transportpeople: Strategyattitudes scorecardtowards travel
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ConfidenceCommuting usingtrends transportin duringEngland coronavirus1988 (COVID-19)to 2015
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ResearchSegmenting onbusinesses theby usetheir oftravel mobile phones while drivingbehaviour
Cycling, wheeling and walking
Guidance
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SharingTransport oursurvey roadsquestion safelybank
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IncreasingEconomic uptakeinsights ofand cyclingsocial followingimpacts COVID-19toolkits
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Transport behavioural insights toolkit
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TransformingLogic Citiesmapping: Fundhints and tips guide
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SwitchingTransport toimpact sustainableevaluations: transport:achieving abetter rapid evidence assessmentattribution
Maritime
Social and behavioural research and evaluation reports relating to maritime.
Rail
Social and behavioural research and evaluation reports relating to rail.
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FutureExperiences of Transport:disabled equalitiesrail researchpassengers
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Mobility-as-a-ServiceThe (MaaS):experiences acceptabilityof researchdisabled non-users of rail
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MobileEconomic phoneimpact useof bynew driversand improved rail lines: case studies and method
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UsingHS1: behaviouralpeer insightsreview to increase uptake of electricfirst vehiclesinterim in the UKevaluation
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Transport,HS1: healthfirst andinterim wellbeingevaluation
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TransportHS2 andproperty inequalityconsultation 2014: behavioural insight sessions response summary report
Reviews
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AccessDfT toevaluation Transportstrategy and Life Opportunitiesprogramme
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ExperiencesTransforming ofCities disabled rail passengersFund
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TransportWebTAG: andevidence transportreview technology:of publicdistributional attitudes trackerimpacts
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EconomicDepartment impactfor ofTransport newmonitoring and improvedevaluation rail lines: case studies and methodstrategy
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BehaviouralTransport insightssocial interventionsresearch toand encourageevaluation learnerreports: drivers2004 to practise more2010
Roads and driving
Social and behavioural research and evaluation reports relating to roads.
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DfTWheelchair monitoringaccessible travel: taxi and evaluationprivate programmehire services
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YoungResearch people’son travelthe –use what’sof changedmobile andphones why?while driving
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DisabledSharing people:our attitudesroads towards travelsafely
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CommutingMobile trendsphone inuse Englandby 1988 to 2015drivers
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TransportSafer surveyRoad questionFund bankprocess evaluation
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EvaluatingBehavioural lowinsights cost interventions to encourage thelearner usedrivers ofto sustainablepractise transportmore
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SocialYoung andpeople’s behaviouraltravel questions– aboutwhat’s automatedchanged vehiclesand why?
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CyclingSocial infrastructure:and frameworkbehavioural forquestions evaluatingabout economicautomated and social impactsvehicles
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Driving to reduce fuel usage and carbon emissions
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Road safety research and statistical reports
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HS1:Roads peerreform: reviewan ofoverarching firstmonitoring interimand evaluation framework
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Local major schemes: meta evaluation 2007 to 2012
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HS1:Reducing firstroad interimaccidents evaluationamong young novice drivers
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UltraReview lowof emissionmotorcycle vehicles:test evidencemanoeuvres: review2013 offeasibility uptakeand insafety the UKstudy
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SegmentingRoad businessespricing bydemonstrations theirproject travel- behaviourintroduction
Transport accessibility and mobility
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WebTAG:Inclusive evidenceTransport reviewStrategy of distributional impactsscorecard
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RoadsShared reform:mobility: anuser overarchingattitudes
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Future
frameworkof Transport: equalities research
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HS2Mobility-as-a-Service property(MaaS): consultationacceptability 2014:research
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Transport
summaryand reportinequality
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ClimateAccess changeto Transport and transportLife choices: segmentation updateOpportunities
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LocalAccessibility majorplanning schemes:policy: meta evaluation 2007and tofuture 2012directions
Travel and the ageing population
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EconomicImpact insightsof health and socialdisability impactson toolkitstravel behaviour of older people
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ReducingPerceptions roadand accidentsexperiences amongof youngdriver noviceassistance features amongst older drivers
-
AssessingChanging theworking rolepatterns of theolder plug-inpeople car grant and plugged-inimplications placesfor scheme in electric vehicle take-uptransport
Review
Zero ofemission motorcyclevehicles testand manoeuvres:low 2013carbon feasibilitytransport
Social and safetybehavioural studyresearch and evaluation reports relating to zero emission vehicles and low carbon transport.
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Switching to sustainable transport: a rapid evidence assessment
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DepartmentFuture forof TransportTransport: monitoringuser and evaluation strategystudy
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AccessibilityUsing planningbehavioural policy:insights evaluationto andincrease futureuptake directionsof electric vehicles in the UK
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TransportTransport, behaviouralhealth insightsand toolkitwellbeing
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PolicyEvaluating optionslow forcost reducinginterventions carbonto emissionsencourage the use of sustainable transport
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TransportUltra sociallow researchemission andvehicles: evaluationevidence reports:review 2004of touptake 2010in the UK
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RoadClimate pricingchange demonstrationsand projecttransport -choices: introductionsegmentation update
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LogicAssessing mapping:the hintsrole of the plug-in car grant and tipsplugged-in guideplaces scheme in electric vehicle take-up
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TransportPolicy impactoptions evaluations:for achievingreducing bettercarbon attributionemissions
Published 28 July 2011
Last updated 156 JuneJuly 20222023
+ show all updates
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Added 'Our changing travel – how people’s travel choices are changing'.
-
Added 'The experiences of disabled non-users of rail'.
-
Wheelchair accessible travel: taxi and private hire services research added.
-
Added message testing studies on transport and coronavirus (COVID-19) research, a report on confidence in using public transport during COVID-19 and a report on vaccination and travel confidence during COVID-19.
-
Research on the use of mobile phones while driving added.
-
Addition of Aviation and maritime careers: young people’s perceptions.
-
Added General Aviation: community and airfields studies.
-
Added 'Sharing our roads safely' and 'Increasing uptake of cycling following COVID-19 travel disruption' reports.
-
Added Confidence using transport during COVID-19 and Travel behaviour, attitudes and social impact of COVID-19 reports to collection.
-
Added Switching to sustainable transport: a rapid evidence assessment.
-
Added 4 new research reports.
-
Added 'Mobile phone use by drivers' report.
-
Added new research reports for travel and ageing population.
-
Experiences of disabled rail passengers report added to collection page.
-
'Behavioural insights interventions to encourage learner drivers to practise more' research published.
-
'DfT monitoring and evaluation programme 2017' published.
-
Link to report - Young people’s travel – what’s changed and why?
-
Report 'Disabled people’s travel behaviour and attitudes to travel' added.
-
Transport survey question bank.
-
DfT monitoring and evaluation programme 2016 update.
-
Evaluating low cost interventions to encourage the use of sustainable transport.
-
Social and behavioural questions associated with automated vehicles.
-
Introduction to social and behavioural research and evaluation.
-
Latest social research and evaluation reports published.
-
First published.
Social and behavioural research and evaluation reports
-
TheInternationalexperiencestravel:ofpublicdisabledattitudesnon-usersduringofrailCOVID-19 -
WheelchairTravelaccessiblebehaviour,travel:attitudestaxiprivatesocialhireimpactservicesof COVID-19 - Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination and confidence in travel
- Confidence in using public transport during coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Message testing studies on transport and coronavirus (COVID-19)
-
InternationalConfidencetravel:usingpublictransportattitudesCOVID-19coronavirus (COVID-19)
Cross-cutting and multimodal
Social and behavioural research and evaluation reports relating to cross-cutting and multimodal transport.
-
SharedOurmobility:changingusertravelattitudes– how people’s travel choices are changing -
TravelTransportbehaviour,attitudessocialtransportimpacttechnology:ofpublicCOVID-19attitudes tracker -
InclusiveDisabledTransportpeople:Strategyattitudesscorecardtowards travel -
ConfidenceCommutingusingtrendstransportinduringEnglandcoronavirus1988(COVID-19)to 2015 -
ResearchSegmentingonbusinessesthebyusetheiroftravelmobilephoneswhiledrivingbehaviour
Cycling, wheeling and walking
Guidance
-
SharingTransportoursurveyroadsquestionsafelybank -
IncreasingEconomicuptakeinsightsofandcyclingsocialfollowingimpactsCOVID-19toolkits - Transport behavioural insights toolkit
-
TransformingLogicCitiesmapping:Fundhints and tips guide -
SwitchingTransporttoimpactsustainableevaluations:transport:achievingabetterrapidevidenceassessmentattribution
Maritime
Social and behavioural research and evaluation reports relating to maritime.
Rail
Social and behavioural research and evaluation reports relating to rail.
-
FutureExperiences ofTransport:disabledequalitiesrailresearchpassengers -
Mobility-as-a-ServiceThe(MaaS):experiencesacceptabilityofresearchdisabled non-users of rail -
MobileEconomicphoneimpactuseofbynewdriversand improved rail lines: case studies and method -
UsingHS1:behaviouralpeerinsightsreviewtoincreaseuptakeelectricfirstvehiclesinterimintheUKevaluation -
Transport,HS1:healthfirstandinterimwellbeingevaluation -
TransportHS2andpropertyinequalityconsultation 2014: behavioural insight sessions response summary report
Reviews
-
AccessDfTtoevaluationTransportstrategy andLifeOpportunitiesprogramme -
ExperiencesTransformingofCitiesdisabledrailpassengersFund -
TransportWebTAG:andevidencetransportreviewtechnology:ofpublicdistributionalattitudestrackerimpacts -
EconomicDepartmentimpactforofTransportnewmonitoring andimprovedevaluationraillines:casestudiesandmethodstrategy -
BehaviouralTransportinsightssocialinterventionsresearchtoandencourageevaluationlearnerreports:drivers2004 topractisemore2010
Roads and driving
Social and behavioural research and evaluation reports relating to roads.
-
DfTWheelchairmonitoringaccessible travel: taxi andevaluationprivateprogrammehire services -
YoungResearchpeople’sontravelthe–usewhat’sofchangedmobileandphoneswhy?while driving -
DisabledSharingpeople:ourattitudesroadstowardstravelsafely -
CommutingMobiletrendsphoneinuseEnglandby1988to2015drivers -
TransportSafersurveyRoadquestionFundbankprocess evaluation -
EvaluatingBehaviourallowinsightscostthelearnerusedriversoftosustainablepractisetransportmore -
SocialYoungandpeople’sbehaviouraltravelquestions–aboutwhat’sautomatedchangedvehiclesand why? -
CyclingSocialinfrastructure:andframeworkbehaviouralforquestionsevaluatingabouteconomicautomatedandsocialimpactsvehicles - Driving to reduce fuel usage and carbon emissions
- Road safety research and statistical reports
-
HS1:Roadspeerreform:reviewanofoverarchingfirstmonitoringinterimand evaluation framework - Local major schemes: meta evaluation 2007 to 2012
-
HS1:Reducingfirstroadinterimaccidentsevaluationamong young novice drivers -
UltraReviewlowofemissionmotorcyclevehicles:testevidencemanoeuvres:review2013offeasibilityuptakeandinsafetytheUKstudy -
SegmentingRoadbusinessespricingbydemonstrationstheirprojecttravel-behaviourintroduction
Transport accessibility and mobility
-
WebTAG:InclusiveevidenceTransportreviewStrategyofdistributionalimpactsscorecard -
RoadsSharedreform:mobility:anuseroverarchingattitudes -
Future
frameworkof Transport: equalities research -
HS2Mobility-as-a-Serviceproperty(MaaS):consultationacceptability2014:research -
Transport
summaryandreportinequality -
ClimateAccesschangeto Transport andtransportLifechoices:segmentationupdateOpportunities -
LocalAccessibilitymajorplanningschemes:policy:meta2007andtofuture2012directions
Travel and the ageing population
-
EconomicImpactinsightsof health andsocialdisabilityimpactsontoolkitstravel behaviour of older people -
ReducingPerceptionsroadandaccidentsexperiencesamongofyoungdrivernoviceassistance features amongst older drivers -
AssessingChangingtheworkingrolepatterns oftheolderplug-inpeoplecargrantplugged-inimplicationsplacesforschemeinelectricvehicletake-uptransport Review
Zero ofemission motorcyclevehicles testand manoeuvres:low 2013carbon feasibilitytransport
Social and safetybehavioural studyresearch and evaluation reports relating to zero emission vehicles and low carbon transport.
- Switching to sustainable transport: a rapid evidence assessment
-
DepartmentFutureforofTransportTransport:monitoringuserandevaluationstrategystudy -
AccessibilityUsingplanningbehaviouralpolicy:insightsevaluationtoandincreasefutureuptakedirectionsof electric vehicles in the UK -
TransportTransport,behaviouralhealthinsightsandtoolkitwellbeing -
PolicyEvaluatingoptionslowforcostreducinginterventionscarbontoemissionsencourage the use of sustainable transport -
TransportUltrasociallowresearchemissionandvehicles:evaluationevidencereports:review2004oftouptake2010in the UK -
RoadClimatepricingchangedemonstrationsandprojecttransport-choices:introductionsegmentation update -
LogicAssessingmapping:thehintsrole of the plug-in car grant andtipsplugged-inguideplaces scheme in electric vehicle take-up -
TransportPolicyimpactoptionsevaluations:forachievingreducingbettercarbonattributionemissions
Last updated
-
Added 'Our changing travel – how people’s travel choices are changing'.
-
Added 'The experiences of disabled non-users of rail'.
-
Wheelchair accessible travel: taxi and private hire services research added.
-
Added message testing studies on transport and coronavirus (COVID-19) research, a report on confidence in using public transport during COVID-19 and a report on vaccination and travel confidence during COVID-19.
-
Research on the use of mobile phones while driving added.
-
Addition of Aviation and maritime careers: young people’s perceptions.
-
Added General Aviation: community and airfields studies.
-
Added 'Sharing our roads safely' and 'Increasing uptake of cycling following COVID-19 travel disruption' reports.
-
Added Confidence using transport during COVID-19 and Travel behaviour, attitudes and social impact of COVID-19 reports to collection.
-
Added Switching to sustainable transport: a rapid evidence assessment.
-
Added 4 new research reports.
-
Added 'Mobile phone use by drivers' report.
-
Added new research reports for travel and ageing population.
-
Experiences of disabled rail passengers report added to collection page.
-
'Behavioural insights interventions to encourage learner drivers to practise more' research published.
-
'DfT monitoring and evaluation programme 2017' published.
-
Link to report - Young people’s travel – what’s changed and why?
-
Report 'Disabled people’s travel behaviour and attitudes to travel' added.
-
Transport survey question bank.
-
DfT monitoring and evaluation programme 2016 update.
-
Evaluating low cost interventions to encourage the use of sustainable transport.
-
Social and behavioural questions associated with automated vehicles.
-
Introduction to social and behavioural research and evaluation.
-
Latest social research and evaluation reports published.
-
First published.
Update history
2025-11-27 16:00
Road safety reports added.
2025-09-25 10:00
Added the ‘Tackling Loneliness with Transport Fund evaluation’ and ‘Dartmoor rail line evaluation’.
2025-09-08 09:30
Business travel survey 2025 added.
2025-06-23 09:31
Added ‘Performing tasks in automated passenger services during emergencies’.
2025-05-29 09:30
Inclusive Transport Strategy evaluation added.
2024-09-26 09:30
23 social and behavioural pages covering a variety of transport topics added.
2023-11-24 10:00
Public attitudes to the use of AI in DfT consultations and correspondence added.
2023-07-06 09:00
Added ‘Our changing travel – how people’s travel choices are changing’.
2022-06-15 10:01
Added ‘The experiences of disabled non-users of rail’.
2022-03-29 00:15
Wheelchair accessible travel: taxi and private hire services research added.
2022-02-03 11:54
Added message testing studies on transport and coronavirus (COVID-19) research, a report on confidence in using public transport during COVID-19 and a report on vaccination and travel confidence during COVID-19.
2021-11-19 00:15
Research on the use of mobile phones while driving added.
2021-02-25 09:30
Added Confidence using transport during COVID-19 and Travel behaviour, attitudes and social impact of COVID-19 reports to collection.