Thursday 29th April 2010
Dumbarton will be the subject of a dedicated Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) campaign to increase local use of public transport and sustainable travel.
The town was chosen for the Modal Shift Campaign due to its excellent public transport links, and the fact that these are not being used to their full potential.
Every household in town should have already received with an A6 booklet explaining what the campaign is about and giving local travel information including details of bus and train services, walking and cycling opportunities, car-sharing and ZoneCards.
The campaign is supported by West Dunbartonshire Council and the travel advice booklets will be also available in council libraries and community/leisure centres.
In addition, from this week locals will start to see billboards, banners and posters throughout the town to spread awareness about sustainable travel.
In Dumbarton town centre eye-catching posters will bear slogans like ‘Get 2 for 1 on your next shopping trip’ to highlight the cost benefits of car sharing, and ‘Let someone else worry about the cost of fuel’ emphasising the savings to be made when travelling by bus.
Advertising on bus rears and sides will drive the point home to motorists with messages like ‘Let my driver worry about the cost of fuel’, ‘Let my driver worry about the traffic’ and ‘Could you lose weight on your way to work’ highlighting the cost, stress reduction and health benefits of using public transport or walking.
Meanwhile, lamppost banners will direct residents to the SPT www.joinupmyjourney.com website, where they can find information on all the sustainable travel options available to them and create personal journey plans.
Strategically-placed billboards will promote train use with slogans like ‘Get to Glasgow 20 minutes faster by train’ and ‘Could your commute be more straightforward?’
And for those who want to chat to us about travel options, the SPT Mobile Travel Centre will be at the Scottish Pipe Band Championships at Levengrove Park on Saturday, 22 May.
The Mobile Travel Centre is the first of its kind in Scotland, offering travel and timetable information, internet access and face-to-face advice from the comfort of a specially-adapted hybrid diesel electric vehicle.
SPT Chief Executive Gordon Maclennan said: “I’m delighted Dumbarton has been chosen for this Modal Shift Campaign and I’m sure residents will respond positively to it.
“SPT has a duty to encourage the use of sustainable travel modes and through campaigns like this we hope to see more people walking, cycling, using public transport and car sharing.
“Reducing your car use has so many benefits – financially, health-wise and environmentally – so the people of Dumbarton stand to benefit greatly from the advice given.”
Ronnie Dinnie, West Dunbartonshire Council’s Head of Land and Environment, said: “Dumbarton is particularly well-served by public transport, and the council fully supports SPT’s campaign to make local people more aware of the many options open to them.
“Many people might not realise just how much time or money they could save by taking the bus or train, or by walking, cycling or car sharing.”
