The evaluation of the Cycling City and Towns (CCT) Programme included qualitative research with residents of the cycling city and towns. A main aim of the qualitative research was to understand why changes in cycling behaviour had taken place (or not taken place) and explore the role of the CCT programme in behavioural change. Twelve face-to-face interviews were conducted in each CCT, 144 in total, so that insights could be gained for the different CCT contexts. The interviews were conducted between October 2010 and February 2011 and mainly took place in the homes of the interview participants. A topic guide was used for the interviews which covered a number of areas of interest to the project. Biographical methods were used in the interviews to identify changes in travel behaviour during the CCT investment period and to probe influencing factors. All interviews were digitally recorded and transcriptions produced to aid analysis.Between 2008 and 2011, the Department for Transport , Cycling England and the Department of Health invested over £43m (plus local match funding) to create the twelve Cycling City and Towns (CCTs): Greater Bristol, Blackpool, Cambridge, Chester, Colchester, Leighton-Linslade, Shrewsbury, Stoke-on-Trent, Southend, Southport, Woking and York. The Cycling City and Towns (CCT) programme involved funding a mixture of initiatives such as improvements to cycle routes, training for children in schools and marketing and promotion work. The aim of the programme was to explore the relationship between investment in cycling, as part of a whole-town strategy, and the number of cyclists and frequency of cycling trips. In 2009, the Department for Transport commissioned an independent evaluation of the outcomes and impacts of the programme. The overall aim of the evaluation was to measure the extent to which anticipated outcomes and wider impacts have been generated by the CCT programme and to measure its efficiency, effectiveness and value for money. The evaluation project involved a number of different areas of work. The area of work related to this data collection was qualitative research with residents of the CCTs. A main aim of the qualitative research was to understand why changes in cycling behaviour had taken place (or not taken place) and explore the role of the CCT programme in behavioural change.

The method of data collection was face-to-face interviews, mainly taking place in the homes of the interview participants. Interviews were semi-structured and based on a topic guide which covered a number of areas of interest to the project. A life course calendar (referred to as travel behaviour timeline) was used in the interviews to identify changes in travel behaviour during the Cycling City and Towns investment period and to probe influencing factors. All interviews were digitally recorded and transcriptions produced to aid analysis. In each town/city the target was to recruit two new regular cyclists, three continuing regular cyclists, five occasional cyclists and two non-cyclists. Participants were recruited to the interviews based on information provided on their travel behaviour and socio-demographics from a previously conducted household survey. Candidiate participants were contacted by telephone to check their cycling status and ascertain their willingness to participate in an interview. Those that said they were willing to take part in an interview and were selected were sent a confirmation letter with further details of the interview.