Manchester sustainable city bid
September 1, 2009
Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (GMITA) has published details of its bid for Manchester to be chosen as Britain's first sustainable travel city, therefore cutting congestion and reducing carbon emissions.
With the backing of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities, the transport authority is asking the Government for £29 million over three years so that it can deliver a programme aimed at encouraging people to make smarter travel choices such as car-sharing, cycling, walking or public transport.
The bid includes proposals for region-wide personal travel planning, a network of five cycle centres offering cycle-parking facilities, showers and changing facilities, short-term cycle hire and training.
Households will be offered "individualised travel marketing" to help them find the best way to travel and offer incentives to try different ways of getting around. This would be supported by a new website with information about sustainable travel choices.
The money would also be used to encourage smarter driving initiatives, to promote car sharing and to investigate the feasibility of installing charging points for electric vehicles.
The Chair of GMITA said: "Our plans would make Greater Manchester a national leader in sustainable travel and, if successful, could lead to 13 million more journeys being made on the region's buses, trains and trams each year. Our bid seeks to challenge people's perceptions of walking, cycling and public transport and show that they really are attractive and viable options and to provide facilities like the cycle centres to address some of the barriers to making the switch."
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