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Personal travel planning can cut car use by 10%

DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT News Release (141) issued by The Government News Network on 11 October 2007

More people walk, cycle and use public transport after using personal travel planning (PTP) schemes, research unveiled today by Transport Minister Rosie Winterton shows.

PTP encourages people to consider alternative transport options to the car. Today's research shows it can reduce the number of car journeys drivers make by 10%, and the overall distance travelled by car by 11%. It also offers value for money for local authorities, giving an average £30 return on every £1 invested over a 10-year period.

Speaking at the fourth annual Smarter Choices Conference in Nottingham, Rosie Winterton said:

"Lots of people would like to use their cars less and sustainable transport more, but need some help to get them started. This research shows that where local authorities have worked innovatively to tell people about alternative travel options, walking, cycling and the use of public transport have been boosted. This can only bring benefits by cutting congestion, improving people's health and reducing pollution.

"I am also launching the new Essential Guide to Travel Planning to encourage employers to develop sustainable travel plans for their businesses. Well-designed plans can reduce the number of people travelling to work by car by 15%, potentially avoiding millions of car miles, and more and more businesses are waking up to the benefits travel plans can offer.

"Having a travel plan is a win-win for the environment, for business and for individuals and I am confident that this new guide will inspire even more people to put one in place."

Personal travel planning (PTP) techniques involve alerting the public to alternative transport options to the car, either by personal visits to targeted households by travel advisors or through local marketing campaigns.

The Essential Guide to Travel Planning - produced for the Department for Transport's National Business Travel Network - acts as a 'one stop shop' for advice to employers about creating a travel plan and replaces the previous Travel Plan Resources Pack for Employers. It will be sent to members of the network and made widely available to employers across the country.

Notes to Editors

1. The PTP research, 'Making Personal Travel Planning Work' looked at the experiences of various PTP projects from around the country and abroad.

2. The UK case studies featured: Worcester, Peterborough, Darlington, Lancashire, Bristol, Brighton and Hove, Nottingham and London.

3. The Essential Guide to Travel Planning has been produced for the DfT's National Business Travel Network, which acts as a forum for employers to share views and receive information on creating and implementing a business travel plan. The network currently has 150 members.

4. The publications were launched at the Smarter Choices Conference in Nottingham today.
They are available at http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/sustainable/travelplans

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Department for Transport Website: http://www.dft.gov.uk