This project was aimed at gaining insight into the added value of communication in promoting bicycle use over short distances. To that purpose two widely different campaigns have been held. In the town of Venlo attempts were made to promote bicycle use among shoppers. The Tilburg authorities decided to discourage car use by parents for transporting their children to and from school, in favour of bicycles. Both campaigns were not flawlessly executed. More preparation would have benefited both campaigns, with more support from local parties.
The Venlo campaign did not have the desired effects. Its reach was wide enough (49%) and appreciation was generally positive, but in terms of behaviour change it did not show any results. In Tilburg, however, the campaign did have substantial results: the number of car transfers fell by 17%.
The first and foremost conclusion of this project is therefore that it is most certainly possible to influence transportation behaviour by means of a communication campaign. At the same time it is clear this effectiveness is by no means self-evident. The Tilburg campaign not only emphasised the advantages of cycling, but it also stated the disadvantages of car use, particularly the dangerous situations created by parents driving their children to and from school. This is a strong appeal to parents to shoulder part of the responsibility for the safety of their children near schools.
In comparison to the Venlo campaign Tilburg focused on the solution of a specific problem, one moreover that parents feel is important and for which they accept a partial responsibility. Tilburg has therefore taken better advantage of a social standard (among both parents and children) than Venlo did. As parents are often in contact with each other, a type of social control may occur. This may be indicated by the fact that many parents discussed this subject with other parents. Moreover, the Tilburg campaign encouraged children to involve their parents in the activities as a result of the numerous competitive elements in the campaign (sticker action, photo competition, best decorated bike competition).