Behavioural insights are an important component of the Department for Transport's (DfT) vision for a transport system that is not only an engine for economic growth, but one that is also greener and safer and improves quality of life in our communities.

The behavioural insights toolkit provides a readily digestible and user-friendly guide to those responsible for transport policy and delivery initiatives, including local authorities. The toolkit shows how behavioural insights can be applied in the transport context to achieve policy objectives. The toolkit does not represent mandatory guidance and its use is purely voluntary.

The department would welcome feedback from local authorities and others on their experiences of using the toolkit to support the development of transport policy and delivery initiatives. Please send any thoughts, comments or queries you have about the toolkit to behavioural.insights@dft.gsi.gov.uk.

Introduction

This toolkit draws on insights from behavioural theory to provide guidance on designing transport policies and initiatives that enable behavioural choices that support policy objectives. Policy making has always involved dealing with human behaviour, and at the outset it is important to emphasise that behavioural approaches are not something fundamentally new. In many cases, their real value lies in helping to find better ways of designing and delivering existing approaches, such as infrastructure changes, legislation, financial incentives, and information provision, through the inclusion of relatively small-scale measures or ‘nudges’ to make these approaches more effective. Some policies and programmes within DfT already reflect insights from behavioural approaches, and these are highlighted throughout the toolkit as examples of how the theory can work in practice.

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