Experiences of car free living: Findings of a trial across four cities in England

• A trial was conducted in which car drivers stopped using their car for three weeks. • The trial helped drivers understand habituality of their car use and to disrupt it. • Positive experiences raised drivers’ capacity to become less reliant on their cars. • Negative experiences reaffirmed drivers’ perceived convenience of car use. • The trial shows possibility to disrupt car use through a short-term intervention. Major changes to how people travel are needed to address climate change, given that transport substantially contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions. Modal shift to low-carbon travel options is a key strategy for reducing emissions in the sector, with private car use particularly challenging given its central position in transport planning and wider culture and society. Trials can help to build an understanding of the practicalities of reducing car use and how people would respond to such a change, as well as contributing to advocacy efforts for lower-carbon transport options. This study focuses on a car free living trial that took place across four cities in England in 2022 (Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, London). Seventeen in-depth interviews were conducted with ten regular car users from different circumstances who stopped using their car for three weeks, to explore their experiences of living car free. While driving had been habitual for most participants, going car free disrupted their routines and participants’ positive experiences raised their capacity to become less reliant on their cars. Family and social networks were important as influences on participants themselves and for changing the attitudes and practices of people close to them. At the same time, a lack of travel infrastructure and services impeded car free travel, with negative experiences reaffirming some people’s perceived convenience of car use.