Successful bid funds first congestion-busting scheme for Loughborough

A scheme to cut congestion and help residents reduce short car journeys is to take place in Loughborough.

The County Council scheme is the first initiative in the town to be funded as part of £4m it secured from the government to help boost sustainable travel.

The authority is contacting residents living in the Garendon, Nanpantan, Shelthorpe and part of the Outwoods area of the town to show how easy it is to cycle, walk or use buses and trains.

As part of the door-to-door surveys being undertaken people will be asked about their travel patterns and given advice about alternative travel options.

Time wasted in traffic jams costs businesses and residents money and by cutting congestion, accidents and pollution, the £70,000 project is set to save around £315,000 of costs associated with delays.

A similar initiative was used by the council last year in the Dishley and Outwoods Edge areas. A total of 832 residents took part, resulting in a six per cent reduction in participants using their cars for all trips. A total of 14 per cent also said they had changed their travel behaviour.

People taking part in this summer’s scheme will be able to enrol on a free adult cycling course as well as take advantage of discounted bus travel as an alternative to using the car for short journeys.

Lesley Pendleton, County Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: “This is the first initiative from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund money we secured in May.

We are really pleased with the success this initiative had before and we hope it will continue to make a positive impact in Loughborough.

“We want to show people there is a range of ways to make short journeys without having to use the car.

“By changing their travel habits people will not only save money on fuel, but will also play their part in improving air quality in the town.

“Also by cycling and walking for shorter journeys, there is the added bonus of getting fitter and healthier – for free!”

For more on the council’s Choose How You Move Campaign – which aims to encourage people top get fit, have fun, save money and do their bit for the environment, visit: www.leics.gov.uk/choosehowyoumove

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The council recently secured £4m from the government towards boosting sustainable travel, primarily in the Loughborough and Coalville areas.

Initiatives that will be carried out to help achieve this will include the rolling out of the Wheels to Work initiative – where young people can borrow motor scooters to get to and from training or employment – as well as improvements to the walking and cycling network.

For more on this visit: www.leics.gov.uk/local_sustainable_transport_fund

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