Over 500,000 car trips have been saved by a council active travel programme aimed at promoting sustainable modes and reducing car use on the Island.
The ‘Transforming Travel on the Isle of Wight: Transition to Transformation’ programme has been running since 2017, following the Isle of Wight Council’s successful £1.35million funding bid to the Department for Transport.
The 3-year programme aims to deliver a range of initiatives to enable and encourage local residents and visitors to travel around the Island sustainably – by walking, cycling, car sharing and using public transport more.
In its first 2 years, the independent assessment has estimated the Transforming Travel programme has saved 502,000 car trips (353,000 car driver trips and 149,000 car passenger trips). This has saved an estimated 6,259,000 car km and the release of almost 1,130 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
Councillor Ian Ward, Cabinet member for infrastructure and transport, said:
“It is great our active travel projects continue to make good progress, and that the latest external assessment indicates a reduction in private car use amongst visitors, and for resident journeys to employment and education.
“By prompting over 500,000 new trips by active and sustainable modes, the programme will also have contributed to improving the health and well-being of residents and visitors.”
The programme has also increased use of sustainable transport – generating in the region of 131,000 bus passenger trips, 126,000 cycling trips and 387,000 additional walking trips.
In addition to the council, partner organisations involved with the ‘Transforming Travel on the Isle of Wight: Transition to Transformation’ include Isle of Wight College, Visit Isle of Wight and Wight Cycle Training.
You can find out more about the programme at https://www.iow.gov.uk/Council/OtherServices/Sustainable-Travel-on-the-Isle-of-Wight/TransformingTravel.
More waste of money cant see that working
But it did. “Over 500,000 car trips have been saved” Notice that it’s in the past tense.
I’d like to see the proof of this
“The ‘Transforming Travel on the Isle of Wight: Transition to Transformation’ programme has been running since 2017” ..
funny, that’s the first I’ve heard of it! What ever did they spend the £1.35million on ?
or is it: “the council ‘active travel programme’ aimed at … reducing car use on the Island.”?
…otherwise known as the St Mary’s Roundabout fiasco, which works by frustrating people, with the delays, so much they don’t bother driving anymore.
Never see MrWard on his bike
John dont believe everything you read from the council
“the independent assessment has estimated the Transforming Travel programme has saved 502,000 car trips”
Mmmm that’s quite a precise estimate. Not ‘about half million’, but 0.4% more than that, at 502,000!
“(353,000 car driver trips and 149,000 car passenger trips).”
Does that mean that 204,000 car passengers made a trip without a driver,.. must be all those self-driving cars 🙂
I love numbers & statistics,.. so good for making stuff believable (whether it’s true or not)
I read recently that 73.6% Of All Statistics Are Made Up.
Or as Mark Twain popularized in the quote attributed to the Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, “there are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies and statistics.”
I’ve never heard of this waste of money, the roads aren’t less busy. The buses aren’t suddenly packed. Nobody I know have changed any of their travel habits. This is utter claptrap.