The Sustainable Transport Blueprint for Canterbury (in a nutshell)

Canterbury has well-documented problems with congestion and poor air quality.  There is too much traffic. It’s bad for business, general quality of life and the carbon footprint of the city.

a) Approximately 25% of all car journeys in and around the city are less than 3 miles.

b) A further 25 % (approx) are of distances between 3 and 6 miles.

c) A high proportion of the remaining, longer distance journeys come from the same places eg Dover, Ashford

KEY BIT: If it’s easier for people to use their cars, they will. If it’s easier to use other forms of getting around, they’ll do that instead. The Blueprint would  make it easier for people to travel in and around the city without using  their cars.

For group a) above these are distances that can easily be done by cycling. 20mph speed limits and segregated cycle lanes would encourage many to cycle who are currently put off from doing so.

For b) a regular ‘turn up and go’ bus service’ (such as exists currently between Canterbury and Whitstable) at peak times, with fares pegged to city centre car parking charges would persuade many onto the bus.

For c) information about, and support in securing car sharing would allow many to leave their cars at home and to save money.

KEY BIT: In surveys, up to 50 % of drivers say that they would like to change the way they travel .

Many will still want to continue to use their cars. That’s fine. But evidence from comparable cities shows that enough people will change to make a significant difference.

There you go.  Sustainable transport: non-scary and doesn’t cost the earth.

Everyone’s a winner!