Actual and perceived car dependence: likely implications of enforced reductions in car use for livelihoods, lifestyles, and well-being

A scoping study was conducted into the nature of car dependence in the United Kingdom. The primary aims of the study were to gain deeper insight into the changing nature and causes of car dependence over the past 20 years, to consider whether dependence was a useful way of characterizing the situation, and to identify the likely economic and social consequences of moving beyond the current voluntary interventions primarily being used to encourage people to reduce their car use and to adopt alternative, more sustainable modes. The new direction is toward more coercive and nonvoluntary future interventions, such as road pricing or carbon taxation. The study involved four interactive stages: a literature and policy review, time series analysis of data from the U.K. National Travel Survey 1995 to 1996 and 2005 to 2006, interviews with key local stakeholders, and exploratory focus-group exercises with selected members of the general public. Reported are findings of the literature review and exploratory focus-group exercises only. A full report of the study and supporting working papers can be found on the Royal Automobile Club Foundation website www.racfoundation.org.