15. How do different groups behave during transport related crises or disruptions, and how can this understanding improve modelling, preparedness, public messaging and responses?
Background
DfT’s ARI identifies 40 broad research questions that reflect areas of strategic importance to the department, where further insight and collaboration could enhance our evidence base, challenge assumptions and strengthen future decision-making. The ARI is organised around four complementary themes, and this question sits within the Improving Journeys for People theme.
Transport plays a central role in people’s everyday lives, shaping how easily, affordably and reliably they can access work, education, public services and social opportunities. Improving journeys for people means putting users at the heart of the transport system, ensuring that journeys are safe, dependable, accessible, affordable and integrated across modes. This reflects the vision set out in Better Connected, which emphasises transport that supports everyday journeys across the country.
For the purposes of these ARIs, improving journeys for people focuses on end to end travel experiences rather than individual services in isolation. Evidence suggests what matters most to users of the transport system is how journeys function as a whole, including the availability and quality of information, perceptions of reliability and safety, affordability and simplicity, and confidence to travel.
People’s journeys are shaped by factors beyond transport infrastructure alone, including housing, land use, employment, digital connectivity and public services. Understanding how these factors interact with transport provision is essential to improving real world journeys, particularly for groups who face greater barriers to travel or are more sensitive to cost, reliability and complexity.
This theme recognises that improving journeys for people requires both day to day operational improvements and longer term system change. The ARIs therefore seek research that deepens understanding of how transport systems shape people’s experiences and behaviour, and that supports more integrated, people centred decision making across different contexts.
Next steps
If you have research relevant to this topic, are planning work in this area, or would like to discuss potential collaboration, please get in touch. For our monitoring and evaluation purposes, we are also keen to hear if the ARI has informed or influenced your research.
To get in touch and report the use, please fill in the form https://submit.forms.service.gov.uk/form/264718/dft-areas-of-research-interest-ari/
Link to DfT ARI: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dft-areas-of-research-interest/areas-of-research-interest-2026
Topics
Related UKRI funded projects
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Conceptual and methodological approaches to representing, understanding, analysing and modelling travel behaviour
The conceptualisation, measurement and modelling of individual behaviour is at the heart of many challenges in social science research and practice, and is identified as a priority area for ESRC investment in its Strateg...
Funded by: ESRC
Lead research organisation: Imperial College London
Why might this be relevant?
Partially relevant as it focuses on conceptual and methodological approaches to travel behavior, but does not directly address different groups' behavior during transport crises.
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Providing insights into multi-day traveller behaviour to inform sustainable transport policies and practices
A good understanding of traveller behaviour underpins all policies which are effective in influencing travel behaviour to reduce congestion, increase activity levels, improve air quality and/or reduce carbon emissions. I...
Funded by: ESRC
Lead research organisation: University of the West of England
Why might this be relevant?
Partially relevant as it provides insights into multi-day traveler behavior, but does not specifically address behavior during transport crises or disruptions.
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Modelling on the Move: Towards Transport System Transitions?
This seminar series will bring together researchers from different disciplines and practitioners to discuss innovative ways of responding to pressing policy problems. Twenty-first century societies face three interlinked...
Funded by: ESRC
Lead research organisation: University of Westminster
Why might this be relevant?
Partially relevant as it focuses on transport system transitions and new collaborations, but does not directly address different groups' behavior during transport crises.