Transport Group
Transport Events
Transport Group
Dunblane is an expanding commuting town of 10,000 people, popular with families for the safe, attractive environment and good road and rail links within the central belt. It is a particularly high car using community despite Dunblane being compact and near to large local employers such as Stirling University and Stirling Council; 85% use a car to commute to work.
Domestic travel accounts for 20% of total carbon emissions. Active travel is an effective solution to reduce these emissions and also contribute to the health, environment and sustainable planning agendas, which is particularly significant to expansion pressures of Dunblane. Future generations will need to develop different lifestyles to sustain their planet.
The Transport Group aims ‘to increase walking cycling and public transport for everyday journeys within and around Dunblane, and to work with organisations aiming to do this’. Members have attended training, events, and established working relationships with local groups and Stirling Council Transport Team.
Initially the group worked with Sustrans active travel project at Stirling University, organised cycle training at Newton Primary School and held two public events to raise awareness and identify key activities. These are now being funded through a successful application to the Climate Challenge Fund.
CCF Project Outline
Group members have worked with Dunblane residents and groups to collect information on walking and cycling routes for everyday journeys. This has been used to create a free Green Travel Map, and highlight areas for improvement. The group is organising activities to support walk/bike to school week events and introduce the concept of a Car-Free Day for Dunblane to encourage people to use the map and change their travel habits. A shift to walking, cycling and public transport from car journeys will reduce carbon emissions, and promote health and other environmental benefits.
The Green Travel Map
A series of draft maps were produced through consultation exercises with local residents, a primary school, the Council and Sustrans, and some practical trials by local walkers and cyclists, Sustrans Rangers and school cycle training course pupils/parents. The consultations helped to identify popular walking and cycling routes across and around Dunblane area, and indicate key areas for improvement to the infrastructure. The final version is now available for launch and free distribution to the community.
Cycle Training at Primary Schools
Two members of the group are qualified cycle trainers and have run several courses in recent years at local primary schools for 9 – 11 year olds. Although there are well designed courses from Road Safety Scotland and Cycling Scotland there are several barriers to encouraging greater use of cycling for everyday travel and promoting bikes as tools rather than toys:
- Perceived dangers of cycling on even minor roads (some Cycle Proficiency (SCTS) Courses are entirely playground based)
- Recruiting parents and other adults as role model cyclists
- Identification of school time for practical training
- Continuity of supervised cycling experience on and off road for children over 10 years.
Car Free Day
We have followed the principles established through the European Mobility Week. This year we have focussed on an introduction to the concept of having a day in Dunblane when car use is significantly reduced. The emphasis is on
- Promotion and publicity
- Distribution of postcards encouraging all households in Dublane to review their transport carbon emission for the day
- Primary School Active (walking and biking) Travel week with parking restrictions for parents and staff
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