Steer

🚲 Why do teenage girls stop cycling? Last week, we kicked off the Steer x Active Travel Academy: Research Talks series with a fascinating discussion on gender and cycling. Hosted by Lisa Martin, Director at Steer, and featuring research from Dr. Robert Egan and Jane Hackett, the session explored why teenage boys are nearly 10 times more likely to cycle to school than girls—and what can be done to change this. Key takeaways: - Cycling is often seen as a “boy’s thing,” reinforced by peer influence and social norms. - Pressures around appearance, uniform restrictions, and fear of standing out discourage girls from cycling. - The #AndSheCycles campaign from Green Schools Ireland is helping to break down these barriers by empowering young female ambassadors and improving cycling conditions in Irish schools. If we want to see more women cycling in adulthood, we must start by challenging these gender norms early and building this awareness into active travel projects. 📺 Missed the event? Watch the recording on demand: https://lnkd.in/e8QgQAQy Steer x Active Travel Academy is an exciting partnership that aims to empower active travel practitioners by making academic research more accessible. 📅 Next up in the series: - Gender and the E-Bike | Thu 27 Feb, 18:00-18:45 (UTC) - Clutter and Compliance | Thu 27 Mar, 18:00-18:45 (UTC) 🔗 Sign up for the next session(s): https://lnkd.in/ehc9Gpjn #activetravel #cycling #genderinequality #research #wearesteer

The freight network is usually only noticed when something goes wrong, and is rarely appreciated at its best. It largely operates in the background, quietly moving things around the world - and it usually does this very well. So why should it matter to planners and decision-makers in the public sector? In this article, Steer Associate Fiona Jenkins explores the reasons why local authorities should take note of freight, and how to make the most of it. To read the full article, click here: https://lnkd.in/eQVAimTg #freight #LocalAuthorities #UK #WeAreSteer

The latest edition of our newsletter is here, bringing you key updates and discussions shaping our industry and beyond: 🌟 Explore opportunities from the English Devolution White Paper and Rail Reform Bill to prioritise rail investments and enhance integrated transport networks. 🚴♀️ Join our insightful series with the Active Travel Academy, featuring topics like gender and e-bikes to advance active travel globally. 🏙️ Dive into the role of stations in urban regeneration with key takeaways from Nicola Kane and other industry leaders at an expert roundtable. 📍 Discover how Steer enhanced navigation at an iconic mixed-use development in Monterrey, Mexico. Join the conversation with #TheEdit and #wearesteer.

🚆 Driving rail freight towards a greener future.   Rail freight is key to decarbonising supply chains, but rising costs are posing significant challenges. Over the past decade, rail freight costs have increased three times faster than road haulage, putting the progress toward net-zero goals at risk.   In collaboration with Rail Partners, Steer’s research and data-driven insights underpin their newly launched report, A Greener Track. This report explores the drivers behind these rising costs and highlights how policy changes can boost investor confidence and help shift more goods to rail.   Discover the insights and solutions shaping the future of rail freight: https://lnkd.in/gXm6SFgS   Our technical report, which underpins this, can be found there or can be accessed directly here: https://lnkd.in/gxSiBnEY   To discuss how Steer’s research can support your rail freight strategy, contact Edward Barton or Mark Kerri. #greenertrack #railfreight #netzero #sustainability #transportplanning #wearesteer

Can GB rail double its passengers by 2050? Nearly 5 million extra passenger journeys per day—that’s the potential for GB rail by 2050. But achieving this ambitious target requires smart, targeted actions today. Steer’s latest analysis uncovers: - The rail market continues to grow strongly—supported by growth on the Elizabeth Line. - The changing shape of the rail market. - What the data tells us about future opportunities. The opportunity is clear, but the imperative for action is now. 🔗 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/e6Xn-jWN #railpassengers #transportplanning #sustainability #dataanalysis #wearesteer

What does 2025 have in store for infrastructure investors? With markets off to an interesting start, infrastructure investors will need to navigate a mix of opportunities and challenges in the months ahead. Steer’s Commercial Due Diligence lead, Antonio Beltrán Arranz, shares his insights on the key sectors to watch and what’s driving their performance. 🔗 Read on: https://lnkd.in/eJ42GbGs #infrastructureinvestment #sustainability #transport #duediligence #wearesteer

Steer analysis demonstrates demand for passenger rail continues to perform strongly. Steer kicked off the Railway Industry Association’s first Future of Rail Event with its reflections on where passenger rail industry demand currently stands yesterday. Picking up on their long-term rail growth scenarios developed 12 months ago, Steer’s Mark Brownie and Mike Goggin pointed to strong growth in demand for passenger services. The 16% growth was toward the top end of their four growth scenarios. Even accounting for events that are unlikely to be routinely experienced again, e.g. Elizabeth Line and significant improvement in the impacts of industrial action (albeit there remains material disruption in some parts of the network), the rate of growth is above historic growth norms pre-pandemic. Mike Goggin outlined the imperative for smart revenue growth, with many cost drivers of the industry likely to place further pressure on the cost of the network and its services borne by passengers and taxpayers. “The results indicate another strong year of recovery for much of the network, and parts of the network are now experiencing pre-pandemic levels of demand. It will be important to secure growth in the right places and at the right price to contribute to a more affordable industry.” Mark Brownie demonstrated the different levels of growth on the network, noting the significant opportunity to grow revenue on the West Coast Mainline as an example. Mark also pointed to the imperatives that the industry and its reform needs to deliver on in the short and medium term for longer-term success. “National Travel Survey results demonstrate that younger people are now travelling by rail more often than before the pandemic, but our own survey shows they’re also more likely to have decided to stop travelling by rail than their older counterparts. If the industry can attract, capture, and retain those younger passengers now, they will help build a more resilient demand base for the future. If we don’t attract them now, we risk a lost opportunity and more challenging demand from which to secure the essential industry revenues.” Stay tuned for a fuller description of our findings and reflections on implications, which will be available on the Steer website in the coming days.

🚴♀️ Why do teenage girls cycle far less than boys?   Join Steer and the Active Travel Academy, University of Westminster, this Thursday, 23 January, at 14:00 (UTC) for the first webinar in our Research Talks series: 'It’s a Boy’s Thing: The social practice and regulation of cycling in secondary schools.' This collaboration aims to empower active travel practitioners by making academic research more accessible.   This essential event will explore the cultural and social forces shaping cycling as a gendered activity among adolescents. Drawing on research from Ireland, with global relevance, we’ll discuss how gender norms influence cycling participation—and what can be done to challenge these barriers.   🎙 Speakers: Lisa Martin, Director, Steer Jane Hackett, Sustainability Manager, Trinity College Dublin Dr. Robert Egan, Research Fellow, Centre for Transport Research, Trinity College Dublin   💡 Why attend? Gain practical insights into how these findings can inform your active travel projects and help foster more inclusive cycling initiatives.   🔗 Register now: https://lnkd.in/eVWw8fKj   If you can’t join on the day, registering will mean you receive a copy of the recording and a summary of the research.   #activetravel #cycling #genderequality #sustainabletransport #wearesteer

With rail reform and devolution high on the UK government’s agenda, mayoral combined authorities have a unique opportunity to shape their transport networks and drive local economic growth. But with funding pressures, network congestion, and complex industry structures, making this vision a reality won’t be easy.   Our latest article explores how MCAs can navigate these challenges, unlock the potential of rail, and prioritise investments that deliver real impact.   At Steer, we’ve supported local authorities across the UK in developing strategies that work within these constraints while maximising opportunities.   🔗 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/eJ9RYJAq   #raildevolution #transportplanning #sustainability #economicgrowth #wearesteer

🚴♂️ Understanding e-cycling adoption across England. How can electric cycles (e-cycles) transform the way we travel? The Department for Transport (DfT), United Kingdom sought to find out through an innovative programme offering free e-cycle loans in Sheffield, Manchester, Leicester, Luton, and Dunstable.   With a £4.5 million budget, the initiative aimed to boost e-cycle uptake and explore the benefits they bring to individuals and communities. Steer was proud to support this programme by conducting a comprehensive evaluation to uncover key insights and lessons for the future of active travel.   Key insights from our evaluation: - 3,619 e-cycle loans and 13,900 training sessions completed. - Participants averaged 26 trips per loan period, cycling 2.6km per trip and two hours per week. - Post-loan, 7% purchased an e-cycle, and 33% were more likely to buy one. - Mental health benefits stood out, with many participants using e-cycles for leisure and fun.   These findings reveal the potential of e-cycles to drive behaviour change and improve well-being, offering valuable lessons for designing future active travel initiatives.   Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/este2K3w   At Steer, we combine data-driven analysis with a deep understanding of human behaviour to shape smarter, more sustainable transport solutions. Contact Emma Hanes to learn how we can help you design and evaluate impactful programmes.   #activetravel #behaviourchange #sustainability #ecycles #wearesteer