Plymouth (United Kingdom)
Plymouth is a city of 250,000 inhabitants, located on the coast of Devon, England. It is the 15th most populous city in England, 310 km southwest of London. It is also famous as the place of the Royal Albert Bridge...
Plymouth is a city of 250,000 inhabitants, located on the coast of Devon, England. It is the 15th most populous city in England, 310 km southwest of London. It is famous as the place from which the Pilgrim Fathers set sail for the New World to establish the colony of Plymouth in what is today the United States in1620.
According to 2001 census data, the modal split for work-bound journeys in Plymouth broke down as follows: 62 percent for the car, 13 percent for public transport; 7 percent for working from home; 13 percent for walking; 3 percent for bicycling and 2 percent for motorcycling.
School journeys, another significant source of traffic, broke down as 52.6 percent for walking, 36.1 percent for the car, 9.9 percent for public transport and less than 1 percent each for cycling and “other”.
Plymouth’s current local transport plan, covering the years 2006-2011, sets out a vision of sustainable transport that aims (among other things) to maximize the integration of different transport networks; ensure road safety for all forms of transport; promote active travel; and improve accessibility to work, facilities and services, especially for those who don’t drive.
The plan proposes the acquisition of right-of-way for the development of a light rail system; the creation of a continuous, coherent cycling network; creation of better pedestrian and cycling access to public transport at the neighbourhood level and the reopening of a disused rail line (the Drake Line.)
Some noteworthy initiatives in sustainable transport are an online car-pooling system called Carsharedevon.com and the PlymGo online journey planner, which encourages walking and cycling by showing safe routes and how many calories travelers can burn by choosing these modes.
At the conclusion of the first local transport plan in 2006, the city had achieved a 61 percent decline in road accidents resulting in death or serious injury from 2000. Among children, the drop was 82 percent.
As well, there was a more than 19 percent increase in use of the city’s two park and ride facilities, thanks in part to investments made. Travel plans were agreed with the developers of more than 60 real estate projects. The city, during this time, succeeded in meeting national air quality targets and it also had success with reducing average traffic speeds on key urban routes by means of traffic calming measures.
No information was available on Plymouth’s use of stakeholder partnerships in its work on sustainable transport.
