Worcestershire Success Story

Choose how you move

What’s it all about?

Worcester, along with Peterborough and Darlington, has been chosen by the government for the Sustainable Travel Town Project.  The Worcester Choose how you move project aims to tackle traffic congestion and improve the environmental and health impacts of personal travel. A package of measures has been developed to promote walking, cycling, passenger transport and car sharing. Examples include:

School Travel: producing travel plans, installing cycle racks, setting up walking buses and providing electric bikes for teachers.

Employer Travel: helping local employers develop home-working and video conferencing as part of their travel plans.

Evidence shows a doubling in cycling and 9% increase in walking to school after a school travel plan has been implemented and a 19% increase in walking to work at companies with an Employee Travel Plan.

Individualised Travel Marketing -personal journey plans are produced during home visits and incentives such as route maps and cycling accessories are provided. In Phase2 of the project in 2006, 7000 (82%) households in one area of the City, (Battenhall, Nunnery and St Peters), were contacted.  Research indicates a change in travel behaviour, compared to the rest of the City, as follows:

Walking 19% increase

Cycling 30% increase

Public transport 13% increase

Car as driver 12% decrease

Recent Campaigns

·Pedal in the Park at Gheluvelt Park - Over 2000 people enjoyed a range of cycling activities at this FREE Family Fun Day, which was organised to celebrate the Tour of Britain coming to Worcester.

·Big Days Out Walking Pack - Primary school children in Worcester were encouraged to explore the city over the summer holiday with the Choose how you move Big Days Out walking pack.  The pack was full of walking activities for all the family and ideas for days out locally.

·Connect 2

Worcestershire County Council and Worcester City Council have tabled a joint bid for a bridge across the Severn at Diglis in Worcester. The bid has reached the final shortlist for the lottery funded Connect2 project run by the cycling charity Sustrans.

Who’s involved?

The 5-year project is funded by the Department of Transport. The Choose how you move project team, based at Worcestershire County Council, work with schools, employers and residents throughout Worcester. A key part of the project is to share experiences and best practice with others; in 2007 the national Sustainable Travel Town conference was held at Worcester Cathedral.

Where next?

Phase 3 is now taking place, 8200 households are being contacted this year in the west of the City. Successes are planned to be replicated in other areas of the County. Many benefits should arise from the project, including improved environmental quality, health benefits, cost savings, reduced local congestion and parking problems and reduced carbon dioxide emissions.

Want to know more?

To find out more, visit the Choose how you move website or contact the team choose@worcestershire.gov.uk 01905 768327