Situation
The Central Denmark Region is striving to create greener mobility in the region and has a particular focus on getting more young people to choose greener modes of transport such as public transport. The region therefore supported a trial period with UngHerning, a cheaper ticket aimed at young people in Herning Municipality, which is intended to make public transport more attractive. The initiative is put forward as a proposed solution to the challenge of young people’s tendency to opt for individual car use, which undermines sustainable development in the region.
Complication
It is important for the Central Denmark Region and the partners, Herning Municipality and Midttrafik, to understand how UngHerning affects young people’s travel habits, as such initiatives require significant resources. If the discounted product does not have a certain effect, it will therefore be a waste of resources. It is crucial to understand what, in interplay with a lower price, can get young people to use the bus more than the car. Epinion’s study has therefore not only focused on price, but on the role of price in behavioural change among young people, and what else may be at play in achieving that behavioural change.
Recommendation
Epinion concludes that while UngHerning influences young people’s transport behaviour, the offer cannot stand alone. It is essential that young people gain practical experience of public transport in order to appreciate a discounted price. Effective communication is also necessary, with both young people and their parents being informed about the product, as parents’ decisions often have a major influence on young people’s choice of transport. With knowledge from the study, the Central Denmark Region has gained a strong foundation for deciding on the future use and development of discounted products for young people, and whether they will continue the product UngHerning.
