Why is transport important?
Transport is the biggest source of carbon emissions in the UK. We have an important role to play in reducing those emissions and changing our transport systems for the better. Investment in active travel and better public transport will help reduce emissions, improve air pollution and reach national climate reduction targets. It’ll also help women and those from low-income backgrounds who are less likely to have access to a car.
Give me some figures!
🚌 Public Transport: 13% of people commute to work using public transport. 23% of people in the best performing similar local authority area commute to work using public transport.
🚲 Cycling: 1% of people in Bury commute to work by cycling. 9% of people in the best performing similar local authority area commute to work by cycling. 26% of commuter journeys in Bury could be by bike, as long as there’s uptake of e-bikes and good cycling infrastucture available, such as segregated cycleways.
🚗 Lift-sharing: 9% of commuters share their car when commuting in Bury. When cars are needed, they should be electric and shared as much as possible. 40% of staff at the best business share journeys to work according to the social enterprise Liftshare.
🙋♀️ Public opinion in your area: 62% of 1003 people surveyed in Bury believe we should all drive less to save the planet according to 2021 YouGov national opinion polling.1 6 in 10 drivers have said they would switch to public transport if its quality improved.
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What can I do in my community
Find out what’s happening in your local area and across Bury for ideas. Get involved or start something (however small) in your own neighbourhood.
The Bee Network is a vision for an integrated London-style transport system which will join together buses, trams, rail as well as cycling and walking.
Greater Manchester Walking is a hub of information to help you walk, stroll, amble, mooch and connect
The Bury Walking & Cycling Forum has been created to provide a platform for effective communication and collaboration between members of the general public, including local voluntary, community and faith organisations, supportive businesses/charities and Bury Council to work in partnership to support and develop opportunities across the life course for increased participation in Walking and Cycling within Bury.
Be Part of It – A not-for-profit service, dedicated to bringing the community together and involved in sport and physical activity. Facebook or email at sports.development@bury.gov.uk.
Walking and cycling
Borough-wide activity
Self-led walks booklet around Bury. 12 short self-led walks around Bury complete with illustrated route maps and descriptions.
Slow Ways. Slow Ways is an initiative to create a national network of walking routes connecting all of Great Britain’s towns and cities as well as thousands of villages.
Prestwich & Whitefield
Walk Ride Prestwich & Whitefield is a campaigning and lobby group for Active Travel.
Greater Manchester
Bike hire around Manchester: https://activetravel.tfgm.com/cycle-hire/
Walk Ride Greater Manchester
Campaigning to make walking, cycling and other active travel modes modes the natural choice for journeys across Greater Manchester. Walk Ride Greater Manchester supports local groups across the region, all campaigning to make their areas better for people living, working or moving around.
What are the Council doing in for nature?
The Council has set a number of action around ‘Low-Carbon Travel’ in its Climate Action Plan (pg ref: 15-18):
- Developing and promoting active travel and the 15-minute neighbourhood concept as part of the proposed neighbourhood and town-centre regeneration schemes to create thriving and sustainable spaces
- Developing exemplar projects where priority is given to cyclists and pedestrians rather than to motor vehicles
- Developing the electric vehicle charging infrastructure to support large scale rollout of electric vehicles
- Decarbonising the council fleet
- Work with employers to encourage home working, where possible, continuing patterns established during the pandemic lockdown
- Working with schools to increase active travel and reduce travel-associated carbon emissions
- Working with our NHS and health partners to better communicate the health-related issues of climate change
- Encourage businesses to reduce business travel. e.g., by the use of video conferencing
- Reduce Council staff and Councillor use of cars and reduce travel where possible
- Work with businesses to discourage employee use of private vehicles
Many of these actions are in early stages or yet to start. Contact your local Councillor to find out what they are doing to support the delivery of these actions.
Resources
Useful websites, groups or reading material.
What’s a CYCLOPS, a modal filter or an Active Neighbourhood? Use this jargon buster: https://activetravel.tfgm.com/terminology-explained/