Millions pledged for sustainable transport in the Lakes

3:40pm Tuesday 10th April 2012 in News

Millions pledged for sustainable transport in the Lakes Millions pledged for sustainable transport in the Lakes

AN AMBITIOUS £6.9 million travel programme has been announced to encourage people use environmentally friendly transport alternatives when visiting the Lake District.

The GoLakes Travel programme, which is being delivered by a partnership between Cumbria County Council, Cumbria Tourism and the Lake District National Park, aims to inspire visitors to change their behaviours. It aims to save up to 11,000 tonnes of Co2 emissions by 2015, with continued reductions after that. It also aims to generate an additional £7 million in revenue and create 100 jobs.

The programme, which has been funded primarily through the Department for Transport, along with some matched funding, is focussed on the central and south Lakes, including the towns and villages of Grasmere, Ambleside, Windermere, Kendal, Hawkshead and Coniston. This area has been chosen because it receives the majority of visitors to the national park.

The programme includes nine interlinking projects which will deliver multiple improvements to travel infrastructure, such as improved cycleways, more and better bus stops, more frequent bus services, a low emission car hire network, the expansion of an electric cycle network, improved and more flexible ticketing and better transport information.

A series of studies are being carried out to identify the most effective ways to help people use sustainable transport. The programme, which will be launched this summer, will see some new transport developments during 2012 with the most significant changes taking place during 2013 and 2014.

Coun Tim Knowles, transport and environment portfolio holder for Cumbria County Council, said: “This is a real opportunity to provide a change to the mind-set of visitors coming to the Lake District. There will be really significant tangible improvements to the quality of the sustainable transport options that are available, as well as improvements to the information available to help make it easy for people to plan their trips.

“People come to the Lake District because it is a beautiful clean place to visit and if we can convince people to use busses or bikes it will help to keep it a clean and green place to be.”

The GoLakes Travel programme aims to cut car use by visitors within the Lake District National Park by seven per cent by 2015. Visitors travelling around the national park account for 205,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. That compares to 165,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions caused by residents’ car use.

Steve Ratcliffe, Director of Planning and Partnerships at the Lake District National Park, said: “This is a really unique programme. It is unique because of the partnership behind it and it is unique because it is orientated towards the visitor. Other sustainable travel projects elsewhere in the UK have focused on residents.

“This programme is about inspiring visitors that they can change their behaviour. We are trying to get to the point where people can forget about their car while they are in the Lake District because using sustainable transport will be easy and fun.”

Richard Greenwood, head of policy and research at Cumbria Tourism, said: “This programme will help to make the central and southern Lake District a shining example to the rest of the UK of how best to encourage people to forget about their cars when travelling around.

“In order for this to work we have to give people the confidence that they can get where they want to go easily and make it enjoyable for them. The significant improvements to the transport infrastructure will give people that confidence to leave their cars at their accommodation, or, even better, at home.”

The GoLakes Travel programme is a £6.9 million initiative, funded by the Department for Transport, and being delivered in partnership by Cumbria County Council, the Lake District National Park Authority and Cumbria Tourism. The programme runs until 2015 and aims to generate a step-change in how visitors travel to and around the Central and Southern Lake District, enabling them to make greater use of sustainable modes of travel.

Comments(19)

Ben Berry says...
5:02pm Tue 10 Apr 12

Great program. Hopefully the money will be spent effectively.

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Lakeuk says...
8:02pm Tue 10 Apr 12

Sounds like a good way for quangos to waste cash.

Transport has to be cheaper and more frequent - I advise colleagues from abroad where to visit in the lakes, I advise them what trains and buses to catch to visit the best areas, I then price it for them and realise how expensive it and end up advising them to hire a car - it's cheaper and more flexible

Hotels are the same, too expensive, I get my colleagues booked into a youth hostel or they limit their trip to a day and save their cash for a longer trip to London or Edinburgh

We need a couple of park n ride sites on the edge of the lake district for tourists and shoppers

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mailman1964 says...
10:10pm Tue 10 Apr 12

Lakeuk wrote:
Sounds like a good way for quangos to waste cash.

Transport has to be cheaper and more frequent - I advise colleagues from abroad where to visit in the lakes, I advise them what trains and buses to catch to visit the best areas, I then price it for them and realise how expensive it and end up advising them to hire a car - it's cheaper and more flexible

Hotels are the same, too expensive, I get my colleagues booked into a youth hostel or they limit their trip to a day and save their cash for a longer trip to London or Edinburgh

We need a couple of park n ride sites on the edge of the lake district for tourists and shoppers
totally agreewhilst the car remains the cheapest & most flexible option that's what people will choose. in these times shouldn't be wasting money like this . plenty better things to spend it on.

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life cycle too says...
12:29am Wed 11 Apr 12

Ben Berry wrote:
Great program. Hopefully the money will be spent effectively.
Do I detect a note of sarcasm there?

I do hope we get a few wind turbines or a small hydro electric scheme to recharge those electric bikes and cars - wouldn't do to top them up with coal or gas derived electricity would it?
OK if it is nuclear of course....

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in despair says...
1:41pm Wed 11 Apr 12

As the bus journeys will take longer will more public toilets be provided ??

How will the local councils and the National Park manage financially if they lose their(excessive) revenue from car parking? Perhaps more toilets will have to be closed.

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davidharry says...
3:50pm Wed 11 Apr 12

What do you think!!
Toilets will remain closed and
the councils and National Park will see no difference to their car parking revenue. Just £6.9 million down the pan.

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Silversidesand says...
4:13pm Wed 11 Apr 12

I see that despite this initiative having commenced in March 2011, the report here says that a series of studies are being carried out. Will that use up some of the money?Mr. Radcliffe is reported as saying that this partnership is unique. Does this give the suggestion that Cumbria County Council, Lake District National Parl and Cumbria Tourist Board have never worked together before?The "freedom" to explore and to forget about the car would, as already suggested, require Park and Ride facilities at all "entrances" to the Lakes. A scheme to do this a few years ago near Kendal, just off A591 didn't happen. Are there going to be fleets of buses linking railway stations with all the six major locations identified, if people are being encouraged to leave the car at home? I see in the Gazette that the National Park Centre at Brockhole is to have further work done on it. Will this include a huge Car Park for the integrated transport interchange? Could the Windermere railway line be extended this far?
The "shining examples to show the rest of the UK", already exist. Go to York and see how it's done!!! Five Park & Ride sites currently operate in York. They allow you to travel to the City by car, park for free in secure car parks and complete your journey into the city centre by bus, all of which are frequent, low-floor and wheelchair accessible. Fares are low with up to two children under 16 travelling free when accompanied by a fare-paying adult. There are discounts available for regular Park & Ride users. It's been in existence for over 20 years.
This area is so far behind the times, it's unreal, stifled of development by quite a high percentage of influential "incomers" and incredibly parochial in outlook. No wonder people use their cars and the Lake District is seen as a museum.
The scheme details can be found at http://www.lakedistr
ict.gov.uk/caringfor
/projects/smallgrant

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life cycle too says...
4:20pm Wed 11 Apr 12

I feel I should point out that in Staveley, Bowness and Windermere, and Ambleside, toilets are being kept open by local providers - rather than by SLDC, who washed their hands of toilets.

In Staveley, you make a donation, while in Bowness and Windermere, it costs a very reasonable 20p - and the toilets that have been refurbished already are looking better than they ever did under the stewardship of SLDC!

To be fair also, in York there would be no choice but to park and ride, as there simply is not enough space to fit so many vehicles inside the walls!

Southport is a better case - the Park and Ride cost £1.50 for all day, with the buses setting off every 10 - 15 minutes.
The buses are suitable for disabled passengers, having ramps available, as well as air suspension that allows the deck of the bus to lower when stationary.

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TRUSWELL says...
7:32pm Wed 11 Apr 12

not got one

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life cycle too says...
9:39am Thu 12 Apr 12

Southport also has an excellent record of providing and publicising cycle routes of differing degrees of difficulty and topography.

Not just to look up on the internet, but full colour leaflets and maps of the different routes, an "Eco" building housing a cycle hire and repair centre, along side the park and ride car park and bus terminal.

I hope our Lakeland team look this out and learn from it!

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WilliamT says...
12:53pm Thu 12 Apr 12

This programme is doomed! The only way to get people out of cars is to force them out, and the authorities are too weak to contemplate that. The disincentive to cycling along the roads around Kendal at least is the not infrequent killing of cyclists by car drivers. The Southport example doesn't apply, as no tourists go there to cycle. The Lakes has the scenery and the worthwhile routes, but also too many drivers willing to endanger the lives of cyclists through careless driving.

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lakesailor says...
3:43pm Thu 12 Apr 12

I see in the Podium piece in the paper that Richard Leafe, Chief Executive of the LDNPA says
"I hear people say they've been driving round the Lake District for years - they know all their favourite mountain passes and all the special parking spots where they admire our stunning landscape - and that's fine for them.
But I'd like to challenge them to try to use sustainable public transport next time they are in the National Park."

So that's it. You can't come to YOUR National Park to do what you enjoy doing any more. You have to do what is sustainable or don't bother coming.

It doesn't matter how much money they fling at it, a family of 5 are not going to make their way around the Borrowdale Valley on electric bikes.

Bonkers concept.

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life cycle too says...
5:30pm Fri 13 Apr 12

WilliamT wrote:
This programme is doomed! The only way to get people out of cars is to force them out, and the authorities are too weak to contemplate that. The disincentive to cycling along the roads around Kendal at least is the not infrequent killing of cyclists by car drivers. The Southport example doesn't apply, as no tourists go there to cycle. The Lakes has the scenery and the worthwhile routes, but also too many drivers willing to endanger the lives of cyclists through careless driving.
Tourists DO go to Southport to cycle, as cycling is a part of their marketing strategy.

They have hotels that offer cycle hire, as well as themed cycle routes, guided cycle tours and a seasonal newsletter.

http://www.sefton.go
v.uk/default.aspx?pa
ge=10248

The topography encourages families to cycle in Southport, while our roads and hills discourage cycling except for a dedicated few.
Importantly, we lack places where you can secure your bike while you shop or walk further than the roadside.

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WilliamT says...
11:39am Mon 16 Apr 12

There are 'cyclists' and 'proper cyclists'. The 2 unfortunates tragically terminated near Kendal recently were bashing out enough road miles to overwhelm any number of people pottering a mile or 2 on the flat, dishwater dull roads around Southport. (Before I get hammered, I must point out that there are numerous real cyclist who happen to live in that area) This is true around the country- the great majority of cycling road miles are gritted out against the wind, rain and hills by proper cyclists on real roads, not by potterers on bits of old railway line or urban 'cycleways' covered in glass and thorns.

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lookalittlecloser says...
10:29am Wed 25 Apr 12

Shall we look a little closer?

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lookalittlecloser says...
10:37am Wed 25 Apr 12

Let's not be distracted from the real issue here - £6.9 million is an awful lot of money and what is it going to achieve? The target appears to be to reduce Co2 emissions by 11,000 tonnes - sounds a lot doesn't it? For perspective this is approximately the amount of Co2 put out by our largest coal fired power station (Drax) in about 4 or 5 hours - hours, not days, weeks or months! Is it really a good use of £6.9M to achieve this? I think not. It may also be interesting to find out exactly where and how the money is being spent - how much on consultants, marketing agencies, PR, extra staff to help administer all the money and the beurocracy that goes along with it. Maybe this information could be obtained via a FOI request? How many of the consultants and agencies engaged are either current or ex-employees of the funding bodies? How much of the funding is going to existing businesses (look at all those nice men in suits in the photo - why are they there?) How much money is being spent on 'initiatives' which have been tried before, failed, and will be resurrected with public money only to run for the duration of the scheme (i.e until the money runs out) and then fail again. (about 3 years?). Look at the Windermere Shuttle Bus as a good example of how to waste £300,000. The most worrying thing is that this total waste of taxpayers money is not unique in the country, far from it. Perhaps we should all be asking where OUR money is being spent.

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WilliamT says...
11:26am Wed 25 Apr 12

I agree that this 'initiative' is a waste of time and money. It will achieve nothing, rather as the fifth-hearted attempts to limit global warming will achieve very little. The limitation of private car use will occur, but it will be by the government approved method of 'the market'. There are 2 billion people in China and India alone, many of whom aspire to 'western' levels of energy wastage. The recent panic buying of petrol shows the lengths people will go to avoid having to get out of their cars, but eventually they will realise that most of them can't afford the fuel to start the engine. And as for the notion that you can burn hydrocarbons to make electricity to power electric cars..! The coming forests of windmills will hardly scratch the surface of the problem.

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lookalittlecloser says...
12:34pm Wed 25 Apr 12

Completely agree with WilliamT - do you think the same people who bang on about green intitiatives, sustainable transport and other such issues are the same people who object to windmills as it detracts from the 'visual amenity' - you can't have it both ways guys, unless you would like us to go back to living in caves and banging rocks together to make fire. How dare we attempt to deny the right of people in India and China the right to progress as we did? Spend the money on finding solutions to the CO2 problems - real solutions that stand a chance of working, not a few people getting on their bikes to travel around an area totally unsuited to this mode of transport (hills, rain, narrow roads etc). £6.9 million to achieve absolutely nothing except possibly creating some work for the 'insiders'.

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