Published on Thursday 20 August 2020
Revolutionising how we all get about is the overarching ambition of both BCP Council and Dorset Council after launching their £100 million plus Transforming Travel programme.
This once in a generation vision aims to create a step-change in local sustainable transport options for everyone, tackling traffic congestion hot spots and improving air quality. Ambitious and positive changes that make it easy for people to choose active travel will deliver quieter neighbourhoods and support healthier streets, with improvements to encourage journeys by bus, and new separated walking and protected cycle ways. It will be easier to get around the conurbation whilst improving quality of life for everyone.
The Transforming Cities Fund Transforming Travel programme will create a series of local transport corridors with bus measures, and improvements to cycle and walking routes, connecting homes to places of work and for children and young people to schools and education centres, and in particular encouraging as many people as possible to switch to using more sustainable modes of travel in place of their shorter car journeys.
The programme focuses on where there is greatest pressure on the overall network from people on the move.
Councillor Andy Hadley, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Infrastructure at BCP Council, said:
"Our urban roads are chronically congested, and we cannot simply make more space. Everyone wants to prevent gridlock, and to protect our local environment – which we are doing through our climate and ecological emergency ambitions This is an opportunity to make that happen. We want to unlock our roads, improve air quality and create a new future for the way we get about our conurbation and live our lives. Travel will be easily accessible for everyone, from commuters getting to work to children travelling to school.
"As we plan to make it easier, more convenient and safer to walk or cycle, I’d ask individuals to consider – what can you do now? Could you switch from the car and walk to the shops, to school or the park more often? Join the growing number of people who are enjoying more active travel and looking forward to that being easier, in a more pleasant environment, which saves money and helps protect our planet."
Dorset Council Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, Councillor Ray Bryan, said:
"The TCF Transforming Travel programme will create options for residents; where they will have a choice in how they undertake shorter journeys. Even switching to one sustainable transport journey a week can help alleviate congestion, and if that swap is for pedal-power then the changes are wider reaching – benefiting health, well being and the environment.
"Where we have introduced cycle ways on commuter or school routes in other parts of the county, residents have made a change in their travel habits and there has been a significant increase in cycling to work and school, and for leisure. Through this exciting programme of work, east Dorset will become a central part of this move forwards to a greener Dorset."
The TCF Transforming Travel programme includes:
New and enhanced cycling and walking routes into town centres
Improvements to bus, cycle and walking infrastructure to schools
Improvements to bus journey times and frequency
A new smart travel app and roll-out of an integrated all-travel ticket
Expansion of local community bike share scheme
New electric bikes for hire
Working with local employers to help them make changes in the workplace
Find out more and stay in touch
Visit www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/transformingtravel to find out more
Sign up to our roads and travel newsletter
Follow us on social using #TransformingTravel
Development and initial design of the new walking links and cycle ways are taking shape, and these will be added website platform later in the year so that people will be able to comment on the proposals.