Focus Group Participants in Limerick Needed

kcUL2011

SMARTER TRAVEL LIMERICK – FOCUS GROUPS

Hi!

I am looking for a number of volunteers to take part in a series of focus groups which I will be facilitating as part of my research in the coming weeks.

What is Smarter Travel?
The context of my research is the Smarter Travel Areas competition launched by the Department of Transport in late 2009 among local authorities (http://www.smartertravel.ie/smarter-travel-areas), Limerick City Council working in partnership with the Limerick County Council and UL submitted a detailed submission to the Department of Transport for funding to transform cycling and walking in Limerick (www.limerickcity.ie/Transport/StrategiesandPlans/SmarterTravel/)

My research is focussing on the design of a community engagement strategy to implement Smarter Travel in five pilot zones in Limerick City. This involves the design of a set of interventions to promote lasting travel behaviour change across the study area, based on international best practice. The aim of Smarter Travel Limerick is to deliver an integrated, user-led mobility management system in a local area that encourages sustainable travel. My research looks in detail at what has worked elsewhere translating it and modifying it for Limerick.

How can you help??
A key component of my research is obtaining important input from the people of Limerick to understand why people choose to travel the way they do in Limerick, to discover their opinions on sustainable transport, their attitudes and barriers to Smarter Travel.

I intend to carry out a number of focus groups based on the following:

Do you live in or commute to any of the following areas:
1. Castletroy;
2. Southill:
3. Corbally:
4. City Centre; or
5. UL and The National Technology Park

If so,
1. Do you use your car exclusively for all your trips?;
2. Do you use non-car modes of transport exclusively (e.g. public transport, cycle, walk, etc.) for all your trips?; or
3. Do you use a combination of the car and non-car modes of transport for all your trips?

How can you participate?
If you are interested, please pm me. I intend to carry out the series of focus groups this month, so please ensure to let me know your availability.

Each focus group would comprise 6 to 10 participants. I will be facilitating the discussions which will last 1-1½ hours. The focus groups will be audio-taped; however, no participants will be publicly identified in the focus group report.

Look forward to hearing from you!