Over 12,000 homes in the north of York could benefit from free travel advice during the most extensive door-to-door exercise ever carried out by City of York Council.
From May, travel advisers will be on hand to provide tailored travel advice in the Rawcliffe and Clifton wards to encourage residents to consider using more sustainable and active modes of transport including walking, cycling, public transport, car sharing and smarter driving.
The advisers will provide information such as bus and cycle maps, and offer personal “challenges” for individuals to try out a new form of sustainable transport. Participants will also receive incentives such as a pedometer, free bus taster ticket or a bike health check to help them on their way.
Supported by the council’s four-year i-Travel York initiative, made possible by £4.6 million of government funding which the council successfully bid for in 2011, the campaign specifically targets the northern quadrant of the city where there are high numbers of short car trips to employment and retail destinations.
Cllr Dave Merrett, Cabinet Member for Transport, Planning and Sustainability, said: “We encourage all residents living in this area to take advantage of this free service, set up to help with everyday travel needs. By encouraging even more people to walk, cycle, use public transport, or car share across the city, this will help to reduce congestion, improve health and increase economic growth in the city.
“As part of our i-Travel York programme, we are aiming to increase levels of cycling by 20 per cent and walking by 10 per cent by 2016. We are also working towards increasing bus usage by 20 per cent by 2015.”
Households will receive an introductory postcard in the next few weeks about the advisers identities, uniforms and what the free service involves.
The exercise will roll-out to other wards including Huntington, Haxby, Earswick and New Earswick in 2014. However, everyone is invited to attend local community events, which are set to take place across the city over the summer period and all residents can take advantage of i-Travel York’s free travel advice service available online or by phone.
For more information or to book a free personal travel consultation, please get in touch with i-Travel York by email, telephone, 01904 636359, follow on Twitter @itravelyork, or on Facebook. Or visit the i-Travel York website.
Residents can also sign up to MyTravelYork on the website to receive information updates, promotional offers and the latest news on their travel options.
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