Over the past two weeks, my group and I have been collaborating to research the topic of Data and Design for a Post-Covid City in our course. Our focus has been on promoting sustainable transportation and public health through active travel. Active travel refers to modes of transportation that are powered by people, either fully or partially. During the COVID-19 pandemic, active travel has become more popular due to public transportation restrictions and the need to avoid crowded spaces. This trend has the potential to continue even after the pandemic, as people recognize the benefits of active travel.

To encourage cycling as a form of active travel at the University of Edinburgh, our group has created CycleED, an educational and motivational campaign. Our goal is to increase the proportion of students and staff cycling to the university to 15%, as outlined in the University Transport Plan 2017-2021. We based our campaign on research and data analysis, including a survey of UoE students’ attitudes and knowledge of active travel infrastructure. The results showed that many students lack knowledge about cycling infrastructure and incentives, which can hinder their willingness to use cycling as a mode of transportation.

To address these issues, CycleED employs a combination of motivational and educational frameworks. The motivational framework includes gamification and rewards, goal-setting and challenges, social network services, personalized suggestions and messages, and data visualization. We use persuasive methods to encourage cyclings, such as financial incentives, store discounts, and coupons. The educational framework includes easy access to information about cycling infrastructure and deals, and comprehensive events available for cyclists of any level.

The campaign aims to overcome the barriers to cycling by offering enormous potential for students to shift their travel habits. We designed the campaign to be feasible, with active travel functions and publicity, and it targets the loss of momentum caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our overall goal is to increase the uptake of cycling at the University of Edinburgh and contribute to the reduction of car driving.

In conclusion, our group’s research on Data and Design for a Post-Covid City has led us to create CycleED, an educational and motivational campaign aimed at encouraging cycling as a form of active travel at the University of Edinburgh. Our campaign is based on research and data analysis, and it employs a combination of motivational and educational frameworks to address the barriers to cycling. We hope that CycleED will increase the uptake of cycling at the University of Edinburgh and contribute to the reduction of car driving.