Sustainable transport should be in the mainstream of the transport agenda
Concluding the Sustainable Mobility Convention organised by the CIVINET UK & Ireland Network in London yesterday Phil Goodwin, professor of transport policy at the University of West of England and emeritus professor at University College London, said that the clear message coming from the event was that “sustainable transport should be in the mainstream of the transport agenda, not on the fringe”. Transport Minister Norman Baker MP sent a video message to the delegates saying, “The Coalition Government is committed to supporting sustainable local travel ... I want to make it absolutely clear that our determination to empower local authorities to make the sustainable transport decisions that are right for their area is key.”
Professor Goodwin went on to say, “The measures are quick to implement with high benefits and low cost. This is an area where budgets should be increased not decreased because of its proven effectiveness.” Senior transport experts from UK & Ireland local authorities presented results for a series of showcase sustainable transport projects, many of which were part-funded by the European Commission’s CIVITAS Programme. The presentations demonstrated high levels of carbon and pollution reduction, cost effective delivery and local consultation to deliver initiatives such as:The London Borough of Islington car clubs has over 11,000 members and consistent growth of approximately 6% every month since April 2007.Bristol Freight Consolidation Centre has saved 271,000 vehicle km with 75% less delivery congestion for participating retailers.Brighton Quality Partnership has delivered bus passenger growth from 26m in 1997 to 41m in 2009, scoring 92% satisfaction levels in Passenger Focus Survey.University of East Anglia have joined with commercial partners to develop the first dual-fuel biomethane-diesel bus in the UK. The use of Argent B20 blend has been proven to save 17% CO2 emissions. The results of the BIOGASMAX transferability study into the capture and use of biomethane generated from household and commercial waste for vehicle operations. The project promotes the spreading of best practice from those European cities who are at the forefront of this technology.The European Commission has helped European demonstration cities implement ambitious sustainable transport measures. Through the CIVINET UK & Ireland Network, good practice and lessons learned are disseminated to a wide range of local authorities and transport practitioners. Norman Baker MP commented, “Of course you are already ahead of the game, by engaging voluntarily in CIVINET to share best practice on reducing congestion and carbon emissions and improving health and air quality you’ve taken a lead and set an example that I hope other regions and local authorities will follow.” He closed his speech saying, “As members of CIVINET here today, you’ve demonstrated your capacity to innovate and your commitment to transport being smarter and more sustainable. You’ve also shown leadership in successfully delivering sustainable travel initiatives in your local areas and coming together to share them with other local authorities.”At the Convention Dinner, the CIVINET PRISM (Premium Recognition In Sustainable Mobility) Award was presented to Norfolk County Council for their Norfolk School Run Park and Ride scheme. The jury found the winning entry to be an innovative idea which demonstrated that through collaborative working and a high level of political support an impressive scale of impact could be achieved. The scheme is now revenue generating for the local authority and has delivered significant decongestion benefits.Overall, the jury felt the Norfolk scheme best reflected the CIVINET spirit of improving sustainable mobility which has already received a great deal of interest from other local authorities looking to replicate the same concept around the UK.For more information on the CIVINET UK & Ireland Network contact Alastair Byers on civinet [at] civitas [dot] eu.
