England’s nine largest urban areas have submitted bids to become the country’s first sustainable travel city.
Greater Manchester, West Midlands, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, Merseyside, Bristol, Nottingham and Leicester are all seeking up to £29M, made available by the Department for Transport (DfT) for the three-year scheme.
The project, to encourage more sustainable travel choices, was announced by the DfT in May, following the successful sustainable travel town projects – in Darlington, Peterborough and Worcester – which achieved a 9% fall in car use (Surveyor, May 14 2009).
Jessica Anderson, Tyne and Wear’s local transport plan leader, said the aim to encourage modal shift could include cycle training and free bus passes, but would also involve some ‘tough’ tactics as well, such as removing parking spaces and increasing car park charges.
Metro and Leeds City Council’s bid covered a range of smarter choices, which would be implemented through a programme focusing on workplaces, schools and universities, with personal travel advisers targeting specific communities.
Nottingham City Council said it wanted to double the city’s level of cycling, reduce single occupancy car use by one-fifth, and boost public transport trips by 1M. It would target residents at four key stages in their lives: relocating to the area; making the transition into education; entering employment; and considering a more active lifestyle.
Meanwhile, West Midlands’ bid will utilise innovative technologies to support car-sharing schemes and accelerate the development of seamless, personalised travel planning.
Neil Scales, chairman of the Merseyside Transport Partnership, said the new Liverpool city-region had lodged a strong case building on its successful TravelWise campaign. Merseyside’s proposals included a public transport smartcard, car clubs, cycle hire and an increased rail capacity.
Bristol City Council’s bid, which is backed by South Gloucestershire Council and Bristol NHS, would be complemented by the cycling city programme, and include an integrated ticketing system, free city centre shuttle bus, and a pilot concessionary fare scheme for young people. A DfT spokeswoman said a decision would be made by the end of the year.
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