As Transport Planners and Travel Plan Coordinators we have to consider sustainable travel opportunities at every step of the way, at the early local plan promotion through to supporting a planning application and then implementing the Travel Plan as the Travel Plan Coordinator.
What Are Sustainable Travel Options?
In our role we help ensure sites brought forward provide realistic sustainable travel options and advise clients where improvements may be required. Through our coordination work we encourage residents, staff and visitors to consider switching some (or all) of their usual trips from the car to more sustainable travel options.
These include active transportation like walking and cycling or using public and if car is the only option considering shared transport or opting for electric or hybrid vehicles.
Principally the aim is to make fewer trips, and for those trips you do make, consider travelling by the most efficient and sustainable way possible. Can you shop locally for items, could you link trips together so you minimise your overall mileage. Can you share journeys with others or do you need to travel at all.
So what are active travel options?
- Walking and Cycling: These are excellent options for short distances, offering both physical and environmental benefits. Walking is free, whilst cycling can be a cheap option, for getting around locally.
- Scooting: Similar to cycling, scooting can be a fun and efficient way to get around, especially in urban environments. If you choose to use an electric scooter be mindful of current road regulations, as they aren’t permitted to be used on public roads, outside of current trial locations.
- Buses, Coaches, Trains, Ferries and Rail: These are generally more sustainable than private vehicles due to their higher passenger capacity and energy efficiency. They are also great for longer distance travel. Some operators are now starting to use more eco-friendly fuels such as electric or biofuels.
- Carsharing: Sharing a ride with others can significantly reduce the number of vehicles on the road and lower emissions. It can also help people share the costs of parking and fuel.
- Car Clubs or Car Hiring: You don’t need to own a vehicle to have access to one. This includes renting a vehicle as and when you need, although, unlike hiring a car, car clubs such as Co-wheels or Zip car aim to have cars or vans ‘on-street’, in easily accessible locations that you can use (hire) for as little as an hour. Car clubs can be particularly useful for households that only need their second car on occasions, when they could instead use the car club on those occasions.
- Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Hybrids: While EVs still have an environmental footprint, they produce fewer emissions than gasoline or diesel vehicles, especially when powered by renewable energy sources. There are many new government initiatives to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles.
Sustainable Travel Actions
In addition to support specific ways of travelling, there are also actions that individuals can choose to take that can help to support sustainable travel aims. These include:
- Home working: The COVID pandemic resulted in the most dramatic change to working practices with the standardised ability for many people to work from home and/or host virtual meetings. This reduced both peak hour traffic and workday travel through the use of technology.
- Online Shopping: Online shopping, including the weekly food shop can help to reduce your need to travel. Delivery vehicles which would likely already be in your area, can link trips to deliver the items you need, without you having to make the journey (or journeys) out to find the item you are after.
- Choosing Local: Support local businesses and communities by eating at locally owned restaurants, buying from local shops and participating in locally run activities.
- Slow Travel: Embrace the concept of slow travel, which involves exploring at a more relaxed pace, reducing the need for frequent travel and minimising environmental impact.
- Fuel Efficient Practices: If you do have to travel by car make the most of the fuel you have by optimising the fuel efficiency of your vehicle. This can mean avoiding sharp acceleration or braking, reducing unnecessary weight in the car, removing roof boxes to minimise drag and travelling at a fuel-efficient speed (within the rules of the road).
Tips: Make sure you know where you’re going (to minimise the miles travelled whilst lost) and linking trips together by geography can also help reduce your fuel usage.
We hope this information helps you make some more informed decisions about your travel and how you can travel more sustainably. If you have any questions or potentially have a project that we could help with, then please do get in touch.