The CTC Workplace Challenge Programme

The Workplace Cycle Challenge Programme Getting more people cycling by understanding behavioural change

A Workplace Cycle Challenge is a behavioural change programme that has proven to be highly successful at: • Getting ‘non-cyclists’ to take up cycling; • Getting ‘occasional cyclists’ to start cycling regularly; • Getting more people to cycle for transport; and • Increasing people’s level of physical activity.

How a Challenge works A Workplace Cycle Challenge pits organisations - and individual departments within them - against each other to see who can get the most staff to cycle for at least 10 minutes during a two or three week Challenge period.

The organisations and departments that motivate the highest percentage of staff to cycle, in their size category, win a Participation Award. Spot prizes and other incentives are also used to encourage noncyclists to get back on a bike and give cycling a go.

“My bike was stored in my shed for around 4 years before I started to ride it again. Now I’ve been back on my bike I’m really enjoying riding it again.”

“Having got back on my bike again, I really enjoyed it, so will definitely be making shorter trips by bike instead of taking the car from now on.”

- Swindon Case study hallenge C le c y C e c Workpla

“During the challenge I cycled to places that I usually drive to, and found that it didn’t take as long as I expected.”

The following outcomes were achieved by the Swindon Workplace Cycle Challenge which was run over two weeks in July 2008:

Here are some of the key findings from the final evaluation report for the Swindon Workplace Cycle Challenge:

• 38 organisations took part

• 32% of participants who were ‘non-cyclists’ before the Challenge have continued to cycle once a week or more.

• 250 departments within these organisations registered • 908 people participated – 310 of these were ‘non-cyclists’ before the Challenge • 49,190 miles were cycled – the equivalent of cycling twice around the world • 5,407 cycle trips were made 3,540 were transport trips • Approximately 15,174 kg of CO2 was saved.

Data Capture Each Challenge is run on a sophisticated Challenge website application which allows organisations, departments and individuals to register their involvement and log their cycling activity while displaying live results and competition information to motivate further involvement.

The website builds up a comprehensive database of participating individuals and organisations that can be used to target messages and relevant interventions at specific segments e.g. new cyclists. It can also be used to further promote and encourage cycling as well as measure changes in cycling behaviour.

• 55% of ‘non-cyclists’ can now be classed as either ‘occasional cyclists’ (37%) or ‘regular cyclists’ (18%).

• 20% of ‘non-cyclists’ are now cycling to work once a week or more • 38% of ‘occasional cyclists’ are now cycling once a week or more and 21% can now be classed as ‘regular cyclists’.

Applying Behavioural Change Theory A Workplace Cycle Challenge incorporates principles of social marketing, behavioural change theory, and commercial marketing principles. Instead of promoting cycling through traditional methods, such as advertising and information on the benefits of cycling, a significantly more effective form of marketing is to get people to actually experience what it is like to ride a bike.

Giving people a fun 10 minute cycling experience quickly breaks down people’s negative perceptions towards cycling, replacing them with new, positive perceptions. When people experience what it is actually like to cycle (as opposed to what they perceive it is like to cycle) they often find themselves saying: “Hey, this isn’t so bad after all. Cycling isn’t as scary or as hard as I thought. It’s actually quite easy to ride a bike, and it’s fun!”

This is an ideal first step to encourage more people to start cycling. The main aim of a Workplace Cycle Challenge is to give as many people as possible a positive cycling experience.

Self Perception Theory – An understanding that people’s experiences of a behaviour will give them their strongest perceptions of that behaviour. By giving someone a positive cycling experience, it is therefore an ideal way to quickly and convincingly help change their perceptions towards cycling.

“I enjoyed it more than I thought I would and it was easier than I thought too.”

“The Cycle Challenge has made me realise that cycling is fun and good for you!”

“Participating in the Cycle Challenge has helped to form a habit of cycling to and from work.”

Consistent Results Workplace Cycle Challenges consistently get more people cycling more often. Research is carried out with participants at baseline, two weeks and three months post each Challenge.

The table below shows ‘Non-cyclists’ intended cycling behaviour two weeks post Challenge. Respondents were asked to think ahead to the next 12 months in terms of how often they would be riding their bike two weeks post Challenge for five Challenges.

Response

The table below highlights two key findings: 1) A Workplace Cycle Challenge is a highly effective way of encouraging ‘non-cyclists’ to cycle more often.

2) Every Workplace Cycle Challenge run by CTC Challenge for Change has consistently achieved good results.

Darlington

Somerset

Definitely more than I did before the Challenge

68%

51%

48%

52%

51%

54%

More than I did before the Challenge

21%

36%

32%

31%

29%

30%

About the same as I did before the Challenge

8%

11%

14%

7%

16%

11%

Less than I did before the Challenge

0%

<1%

0%

3%

0%

1%

I don’t know

3%

2%

6%

6%

4%

4%

89%

87%

80%

83%

80%

84%

Total percentage of non-cyclists who intended to cycle more often after taking part in the Challenge

Woking Swindon Colchester Average

CTC Challenge for Change Workplace Cycle Challenges are run by CTC Challenge for Change, a partnership between the CTC Charitable Trust and Challenge for Change. Challenge for Change is a social marketing agency that specialises in developing behavioural change programmes that get more people cycling more often. The CTC is the UK’s national cyclists’ organisation.

The CTC Challenge for Change team has eight years experience in designing and implementing Workplace Cycle Challenge behavioural change programmes that get more people cycling. CTC Challenge for Change has recently and are currently implementing Workplace Cycle Challenge programmes in: • Darlington

• Colchester

• Woking

• Wolverhampton

• Somerset

• New Zealand

• Sheffield

• Adelaide, Australia

“I went out to buy a bike for the Challenge it’s something I’d been meaning to do for a while but I hadn’t got round to it... the Challenge was the push I needed!”

More information We’d love to hear from you! If you would like any more information please contact: Thomas Stokell Challenge for Change thomas@getmorepeoplecycling.com 07984 309 265

• Swindon Check out our websites: www.somersetcyclechallenge.org.uk www.icyclenow.co.nz www.wokingcyclechallenge.org.uk www.darlingtoncyclechallenge.org.uk www.wolverhamptoncyclechallenge.org.uk www.swindoncyclechallenge.org.uk www.tourdework.com.au

Ian Richardson CTC Charitable Trust ian.richardson@ctc.org.uk 07816 768 290