Commuter Dilemma Game: Interviews Conducted whilst Playing a Serious Game, 2022-2023

The transport sector is responsible for around 20% of global CO2 emissions, and road transport alone contributes to three-quarters of that share. Since the European Union will implement a separate Emissions Trading System in 2027, which will cover road transport, buildings and additional sectors (mainly small industry), the study considered the idea for the UK. The research specifically explored differences in perceptions of fuel price increases as a result of an increase in fuel duties or as a result of the introduction of a parallel Emissions Trading System for road transport. A Serious Game was used to elicit perceptions. In the game, called the Commuter Dilemma Game, car drivers were presented with situations where they needed to make decisions in response to an increase in the pump price of fuel. The sample was a convenient sample, and therefore not representative. The players had to make decisions during the game were the essential, and these were aimed at triggering a discussion about the perception of an increase in the pump price of fuel resulting from different policies. Six decisions could be made: a) To choose which transport mode to use (car, bus, bicycle, walk), each with an associated time and fuel cost, b) To replace their car with a more efficient car, c) To not visit some of the facilities (such as health, education, shopping or leisure facilities) to reduce expenses, d) To move house, e) To complain about the policies triggering an increase in pump prices (with the complaint being some sort of formal complaint to the government, or simply moaning), and f) To join a demonstration against the pump price increase.