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Nationally, 25% of all car journeys are under 2 miles - Whatever the current policies on road building are, this is clearly not an effective or efficient way to travel, especially as in relative terms these short car journeys are the biggest contributors to congestion and air pollution. Reducing short car journeys has the greatest potential for integrated transport benefits for both the environment and society.
With the wide dispersal of population and many centres of destination the biggest impact on the transportation network would be to concentrate on the reduction of local and unnecessary journeys. The development of partnerships in the solving of transport problems would be most effective in reducing the volume of traffic. Partnerships to be developed include:
- Major employers
- Schools
- Public Transport Operators, e.g. Bus, Rail
- Agenda 21 Groups
- Transport Operators - Freight Partnerships
- Other interest groups, e.g. Cycle Groups, Residents Associations, etc.
- Developers
- Adjacent Authorities
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In establishing these initial improvements to local journeys opportunity will then be taken to extend these links between centres thereby enhancing the whole network and over a longer period creating a comprehensive transportation network. Whilst targeting the specific groups mentioned above the biggest impact will be made by changing the travel behaviour of the "commuter" through the development of a comprehensive TRAVELWISE programme. This programme would need to inform the public about the benefits of change, where to interchange and what it means to them as individuals in terms of health, savings, better environment and safety. |
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