Your travel choices  - Central Bedfordshire Council

Your travel choices

Replacing your car journeys will:

Reduce CO2 emissions
save you money on fuel
Walking and Cycling on a regular basis is good for your heart and lungs

Your travel choices

Your travel choices introduction

It is often quicker, cheaper, better for your health and more enjoyable to leave your car on the driveway and travel on foot, bike or by public transport.

We encourage residents to consider all forms of travel when planning your door-to-door journeys, be it a trip to the doctors, taking your children to School or your daily commute to work.

Our aims are to reduce traffic congestion, cut carbon emissions, improve our opportunities for growth and promote active and healthier lifestyles across Bedfordshire by promoting and investing in walking, cycling, car-sharing and public transport.

Around half of all car journey’s are between 1 and 5 miles and as such, there is substantial potential to increase levels of walking, cycling, car-sharing and public transport usage across the authority.

Why make fewer trips by car?

Fewer car journeys will reduce the CO 2 emissions that contribute to climate change
The fewer trips you make, the more money you save on fuel
Nearly a quarter of all car trips are under two miles, a distance that can be cycled in under 15 minutes.
Cycling two-mile trips could save £600 per year in fuel
Car journeys under one mile normally take 20 minutes to walk.
Walking one-mile trips could save £160 per year in fuel.
Walking and Cycling on a regular basis is good for your heart and lungs, burns calories and is a good way to a healthier active life

What's the bigger picture?

Congestion is the major transport problem facing Central Bedfordshire.

The delays experienced by motorists, businesses and those using public transport is not only an inconvenience, it impacts on our opportunities for growth.

Around half of all car journey’s are between 1 and 5 miles, and 2 out of 3 of all the trips we make are under 5 miles – as such, there is substantial potential to increase take-up of sustainable travel options such as walking, cycling or public transport.

What should I do?

There are many factors influencing our travel choices. These include cost, journey times and convenience.

You may well find that it is a ‘smarter’ choice – i.e. quicker, cheaper and more enjoyable - to leave your car on the driveway; and it’s better for the environment and your health too. All that’s needed is a little journey-planning beforehand.

This section of our website aims to give you information to plan your journeys and make smarter travel choices every time you leave your home.

Walking

The average adult is supposed to do 30 minutes of exercise 5 times week. Walking more often is a great way to fit this into your day.

There are also a number of personal heath and well being benefits to be gained from walking and cycling:

Lower risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes
Stronger bones
A strengthened immune system
Better weight management
Increased energy levels
Enhanced self-esteem
Better sleep
Can save you money.

Walking is most suitable for journeys under two miles and can be combined with other methods to cover longer distances. There are over 2,200 kilometres of public rights of way which you can use to enjoy the Bedfordshire countryside, be it a footpath, bridleway or byway.

A wide variety of information on leisure walks and public rights of way is available from www.letsgo.org.uk, including maps of the Dunstable Downs Circular Walk and Whipsnade Circular Walk. Maps are also available at most libraries and tourist information centres, and ordnance survey maps can also be purchased at most bookshops for a more detailed insight.

Walk and Cycle Journey Sharing

If you would like to find others Walking / Cycling on similar routes to yourself, try using the online journey matching databases ‘WalkBUDi’ - and ‘BikeBUDi’.

Cycling

Car sharing

Car sharing is an excellent way to share the cost of car travel, including fuel costs and the cost of wear and tear to your vehicle. You will also be benefitting the environment by reducing air pollution and CO2 emissions. You can share a car for any journey – getting to work, doing the weekly shop, taking the children to school, going to the match at the weekend, travelling to/from college/university or visiting friends.

The Benefits

Reduces travel costs
Reduces wear and tear on your vehicle
Expands social networks
Helps reduce congestion

New Central Bedfordshire & Luton Car-Sharing Website

Our car-sharing website provides a matching service for residents in Central Bedfordshire and Luton.

The idea is simple - by pairing up people that would have otherwise have driven separately, 1, 2 or even 3 cars can be taken off the road and hence reduce congestion. The journey will then be quicker, without undue delay, and it will also save all those pairing up money, as the cost of the journey can be divided equally up!

More and more organisations are dedicated car-share spaces to their staff and visitors, relieving them of the hassle of driving around and around full car parks looking for that elusive space.

Our website matches you up with potential partners as a driver or passenger and once matched, you can choose to car share as little or often as you like, with whomever you like.