MICA: Developing system-oriented interventions to reduce car dependency for improved population health in Belfast

在北爱尔兰，普通人80%以上的行程是开车完成的。与英国其他地区和爱尔兰相比，这一比例非常高。在英国，63%的出行是自驾游，而在爱尔兰，这一比例仅略高于50%。贝尔法斯特也是英国最拥堵的城市之一。这些问题是因为太多的人太频繁地开车。过于依赖我们的汽车出行会导致许多有害的影响。例如，我们减少了步行和骑自行车，空气质量恶化，道路交通碰撞事件增加。因此，随着越来越多的城市寻找解决方案来帮助我们减少对汽车的依赖，这是一个日益严重的公共卫生问题。然而，解决这一问题并不简单，因为有许多不同的群体参与或受到运输系统的影响。如果我们要找到有助于长期减少对汽车的依赖的政策和计划，那么这些团体必须共同努力解决问题。我们的项目旨在共同制定可持续和可扩展的政策和计划，以减少贝尔法斯特对汽车的依赖。我们的项目分为3个工作流程：1)了解影响贝尔法斯特对汽车依赖的系统的多个层面；2)探索目前的证据和知识，了解什么在其他城市奏效；3)与主要组织一起制定可能的政策和计划，以减少汽车使用。我们的政策和方案针对在贝尔法斯特使用汽车进行工作、送学、休闲和其他活动的公民。但其他道路使用者也将直接受益于路上车辆的减少，通过减少空气污染和道路交通碰撞。普通民众还将受益于更清洁的空气、更少的噪音以及对气候变化的潜在积极影响。我们的研究包括以下步骤：1.我们将使用一种名为网络分析的技术进行调查，以帮助我们了解参与制定、实施和评估减少对汽车依赖的计划和政策的利益相关者网络，以及他们如何最好地合作。我们将对贝尔法斯特的道路使用者进行一项调查，使用一种名为离散选择实验的技术，对影响汽车依赖性和替代出行方式的重要性进行评估和排名。为了在利益相关者之间就减少汽车依赖的性质、顺序以及不同组织的计划和政策之间的关系达成一致，我们将使用一种称为因果循环图的技术，开发影响汽车依赖的各个方面的“系统”的可视图表。我们将与当地公民一起举办研讨会，对前景看好的干预方法和政策进行“感官检查”，以探索和确保新举措的可接受性、实用性、可负担性、可行性和可持续性。可能的政策和方案可能包括：改善公共交通，引入新的快速交通系统；投资于城市绿道，以增加步行和骑自行车的次数；扩大市中心的无车区；扩大城市边缘的“停车和骑行”设施。我们的工作将有以下成果：1.确定影响贝尔法斯特汽车依赖的利益相关者及其关系。审查减少对汽车依赖的行动的证据，从而确定可能的新干预措施和政策，供利益相关者考虑。确定现行和计划中的政策和干预措施及其潜在相互作用的地图。一套潜在的协调政策和干预措施在道路使用者和当地公民中进行了“测试”(就可接受性和可行性而言)。对所提供的证据及其对减少贝尔法斯特对汽车的依赖的影响达成共识。贝尔法斯特减少对汽车依赖的多部门行动路线图。

In Northern Ireland, an average person does over 80% of their journeys by car. This is very high compared to other parts of the UK, where 63% of journeys are made by car, and in Ireland, where the figure is just over 50%. Belfast is also one of the most congested cities in the UK. These problems are because too many people are driving too often. Being too reliant on our cars to get around leads to many detrimental impacts. For example, we walk and cycle less, our air quality worsens, and the number of road traffic collisions increases. It is, therefore, a growing issue in public health with more and more cities looking for solutions to help reduce our reliance on cars. However, solutions to such a problem are not simple as there are many different groups involved in or affected by the transport system. If we are to find policies and programmes that help reduce car reliance long term, then these groups must work together to solve the problem.Our project aims to co-develop sustainable and scalable policies and programmes that reduce the reliance on cars in Belfast. Our project is organised into 3 workstreams: 1) understanding the multiple layers of the system that influence the reliance on cars in Belfast; 2) exploring the current evidence and knowledge of what has worked in other cities; 3) developing possible policies and programmes with key organisations to reduce car use. Our policies and programmes are aimed at citizens who use their car for work, school drop-off, leisure and other activities in Belfast. But other road users will also directly benefit from less cars on the road, through less air pollution and fewer road traffic collisions. The general population will also benefit from cleaner air, less noise, and potential positive impacts on climate change.Our research includes the following steps:1. We will undertake a survey using a technique known as Network Analysis to help us understand the network of stakeholders involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes and policies to reduce car dependency and how they might best work together.2. We will undertake a survey with road users in Belfast to evaluate and rank the importance of influences on car dependency and on alternative travel modes, using a technique known as Discrete Choice Experiments.3. To develop agreement among stakeholders about the nature, ordering and relationships between programmes and policies of different organisations to reduce car dependency, we will develop visual diagrams of the 'system' of the various aspects that affect car dependency, using a technique known as causal loop diagrams.4. We will host workshops with local citizens to 'sense-check' promising intervention approaches and policies to explore and ensure the acceptability, utility, affordability, feasibility and sustainability of new initiatives.Possible policies and programmes may include, for example: improved public transport, with the introduction of a new rapid transit system; investment in urban greenways to increase walking and cycling journeys; expanding the car-free areas of the city centre; extension of 'park and ride' and 'park and stride' facilities at the edge of the city.Our work will have the following outputs:1. Identification of stakeholders influencing car dependency in Belfast and their relationships.2. A review of the evidence for actions to reduce car dependency, leading to identification of possible new interventions and policies to be considered by stakeholders.3. A map identifying ongoing and planned policies and interventions and their potential interplay.4. A suite of potential co-ordinated policies and interventions 'tested' (in terms of acceptability and feasibility) with road users and local citizens.5. A consensual understanding of the evidence provided and implications for reducing car dependency in Belfast.6. A roadmap for multi-sectoral action to reduce car dependency in Belfast.