Hywel Rowlands

Walking in Camberwell

City of Boroondara

Hywel Rowlands

Matthew Austin

• Overview

• Plan development

• Infrastructure

• Behaviour change

• Results

Partnership between

• Australian Governments Liveable Cities Program

• Department of Transport Planning Local Infrastructure

• Boroondara Council (plus 3 other Councils)

The Principal Pedestrian

Network Demonstration project

Google

Camberwell Junction Activity Area

Objectives

• Increase the number of walk trips

• Reduce private car use

• Apply and assess the Principal Pedestrian Network methodology

• Deliver infrastructure and behaviour change

How do we increase walking participation?

How do we reduce car use?

Plan Development

Corridor selection

Research

Surveys Modelling

Audits

Research

• Complete gaps - paths/crossings etc

• Remove risky locations and reduce speed

• Direct paths that are convenient to walk

• Trees and green space

• Amenity and information

• Car share (reducing car ownership)

• Behaviour change initiatives

Count Surveys

• 15,000 pedestrian

recorded through a

cordon around

Camberwell Junction

precinct (12 hour pedestrian counts – 20 locations)

Camberwell Station

Camberwell Junction

Questionnaire Surveys

• Origin

• Mode of transport

• Transport choice

• Trip purpose

• Trip frequency

• Spend

Half of all respondents travelled by car,

20% identified that walking was an option

Walking could accommodate

>30% mode share,

Pedestrians visit the most

often and spent the most

money annually

(Questionnaire Surveys 2012)

Modelling

The GIS model simply aggregates

the most direct catchment paths

Paths are weighted by their

respective population catchment

2

3

2

4

4

3

1

1

1

1

5

11

6

6

9

18

1

2

1

3

2

Weekday Weekend

Factor = modelled population/pedestrian counts

1

Cookson Street corridor

Camberwell Road corridor

Cookson Street Corridor

Connects to

• Trains

• Trams

• Shops

• Employment

• Schools

• Parks

Cookson Street near Camberwell Station

Before After

Cookson Street

Before After

Cookson Street Corner adjacent Read Gardens

Before After

Before

East Camberwell Station

Before After

Further resolution required

• No ped crashes

• 2000 vph

• Vehicle every 2

seconds

• 60 km/h road

• 1/3 pedestrians

run to crossTowards

Camberwell Station

Towards East

Camberwell Station

Camberwell Road corridor

Connects to

• Trains

• Trams

• Library

• Shops

• Employment

• Schools

• Parks

• Council Offices

Before

After After

Google

Just the mere presence of trees and greenery

has the effect of enticing more people to walk

and exercise (Wolf, 2010)

Trees were variables that parents considered

when allowing their child to walk (Naderi and

Kim, 2006)

The likelihood of walking or biking to school

was positively associated with …… street

trees (Larsen et al, 2009)

More greenery was associated with being

physically active and not being overweight or

obese (Ellaway et al, 2005)

Trees encourage physical activity

Evidence indicates that landscaping/trees in urban

streets/arterials can reduce speeds and crashes (Naderi, J.R. 2003) (Mok, J.-H., H. C. Landphair, and J. R. Naderi. 2006) (Lee, J., and F. Mannering. 1999) (Dumbaugh, E.

2005) (Chinn L and Elliott M. 2002) (Naderi, J.R., B.S. Kweon, and P. Meghalel. 2008)

Trees, when located on both sides of the street, create a

sense of enclosure that discourages drivers from speeding U.S. Department of Transportation - Federal Highway Administration.

Trees can reduce speed/crashes

The lack of seating is a barrier (Stahla et al, 2013)

Seat every 200-300

metres implemented

After

Wayfinding

Car share

Since joining the car share scheme in Boroondara:

• 8.7% had sold a car,

• 21.7% had avoided buying a car

• 23% walk more

• 27% cycle more

Behaviour change

Program Development

Change program

Behavioural Elements

Design Principles

Research

More Research

Behavioural Economics

Gamification

Communications Strategy

• Enjoyment and fun

• Autonomy

• Reciprocity

• Commitment

• Prompts

• Incentives

• Social proof / norming

• Habits

Behavioural Elements

• Driver Frustrations

• Normalise walking

• Loss aversion

• Avoid being anti-car

• Social activities

• Fun and enjoyment

• Short distances

• Small changes

• Local business

Design Principles

Pilot round

Communications

Generating buzz

Loss aversion prize draw

• $750 first prize – 17-20 walks per week

• $200 second prize – 14-16 walks per week

• $50 third prize – 10-13 walks per week

Local business incentives

• Featured businesses for one week each

• Discount or other reward for visiting

• Business gets free marketing and potential customers

directed there

Loss aversion

incentives

• Available on iPhones and Android

• GPS to track trips

• Records distance, time and compares with others

• Friends

• 154 unique visitors to website

• 55 people regularly receive emails

• 16 participants

…total distance logged via MapMyWalk: 725km

Pilot round results

725 km

• MapMyWalk was difficult to use

• Financial incentives and rewards did not resonate

• Local shopping incentives did not motivate

Lessons learnt

• Bupa partnership – promotion, prizes, Bupa Ground Miles

• Increased focus on health benefits of walking

• Decreased focus on incentives and local shopping

Second round

• Gamification elements

• Badges

• Awards

• Leaderboard

• Shows daily progress

• Easy to use, no need to

log specific walks

Bupa Ground Miles

After twelve weeks:

• 500+ unique visitors to website

• 135 people regularly received emails

• 52 people using the app

…total distance logged:

10,004km

Second round results

10,004 km

Media

Results

• 20% increase in weekday walking along the

Cookson Street Corridor (40% on a Saturday)

• 100% increase in walking along the

Camberwell Road Corridor (200% on a Saturday)

Preliminary walking increase

Pilot initiative –

• 750 kilometres walked in 12 weeks

Second round –

• 10,000 kilometres walked in 12 weeks

Try Walking participation

• 88% of these participants indicated that they walk more often

• 64% indicated that they drove less

Try Walking participants

HEAT analysis – WHOAssumptions

Value of statistical life in Australia – $3.5m

Crude mortality rate in Australia – 550 per 100,000

Infrastructure life – 30 years

Cookson Street Camberwell Road

Initial count 808 1100

Interim count 982 2181

Proportion (conservative) 75% 33%

Mean distance 800m 500m

Total cost $461,000 $330,000

Cost / Benefit 1:6 1:14

Focus on walking corridors to access a destination

Latent demand can be evaluated and best value achieved

Behaviour change promoted walking and the improvements

Self-efficacy – building belief in ones ability

Almost everyone is supportive of improving walking conditions

A mode shift to walking can be achieved and this

should be integral in managing our health,

environmental, traffic and parking challenges

In summary

Brochure

Thank you