This Network extends the December 2010, UK Research Councils Ideas Factory "Transport Grand Challenge: Travel behaviour, habits and practice". The Ideas Factory drew attention to the significant contribution that the transport sector makes toward the production of CO2, and whilst it is recognised that improvements in vehicle technologies and fuel choices will reduce emissions, the travel choices of the individual remain complex and entrenched in habit. Consequently the five-day Sandpit focused upon the determinants and incentives for changing travel behaviour, habits and practice in order to better understand how we can move toward increased use of lower carbon transport.

The Department for Transport paper: Low carbon transport: A greener future (2009), indentified the apparent willingness for the public to change their travel behaviours but a resistance for them to actual implement them. People's decision-making toward travel is complex and irrational, making it difficult to shift patterns away from excessive use of the car, in favour for more cost effective, sustainable and at times quicker methods of transport.

Reasons are complex, but it is evident that new technologies do not always offer the best solution, and may (in some cases) exacerbate problems. The Sandpit process sought to unpack the habits and pressures upon individuals, families and businesses that inhibit the opportunity to make better choices about travel.

The proposed three and half year Network will sustain the intellectual synergy that was developed through the five day Sandpit, and offer a framework in which the project partners can sustain communication, explore new ideas, share good practice and develop means of disseminating knowledge to the public, industry and affect policy.

The funding will support two primary methods of sustaining and developing the group: annual 2-day workshops/meetings for project partners to get together, and a digital network platform that can integrate the activities of the four funded projects, as well as disseminate progress and findings to the world.

Potential Impact:
The 'Transport Grand Challenge: Travel behaviour, habits and practice' sandpit brought together over 20 experts who together approached a critical problem facing society in the 21st century. Four imaginative projects were funded as a result of the intellectual and creative synergies that were generated throughout the intensive five-day workshop. The proposed Network has the opportunity to galvanise and consolidate all of the project members and develop what may be best understood as a 'Transport Behaviours Think-Tank'. This plan outlines what kinds of impact the think-tank can expect to achieve within three years, how it will engage different communities and offer a vision for its international image once it is complete.

Impact Objectives
Although the Network itself operates as a facilitating mechanism to support the research activities of the four funded projects: Sixth Sense Transport, Disruption, DESIRE and Reflect, the Network has the potential to articulate critical aspects of the research that is revealed through the individual projects and offer a coherent and accessible portal to demonstrate their social, economic and environmental benefits.

Thus the Network will:
(i) disseminate new intellectual findings and understanding in the area of transport and behaviour
(ii) provide an accessible website that will promote the findings of the four projects to national and international audiences
(iii) develop a virtual think-tank that is able to respond to the challenges posed by transport behaviours and offer academic, industrial and political insight