Plymotion

Plymouth City Council is launching a brand new project that aims to improve walking, cycling and public transport links and encourage people to try greener, cheaper and healthier ways of getting around. 'Plymotion' is a three-year initiative supported by the Department for Transport through its Local Sustainable Transport Fund, which was set up to help local authorities stimulate economic growth and reduce carbon emissions.

The scheme is designed to increase awareness and use of sustainable travel options, as well as improve access to employment, education and healthcare across the city. Increasing levels of walking and cycling will also improve residents’ overall health and fitness, while helping to reduce congestion and pollution.

Plymotion focuses on the 'corridor' between the communities of Devonport and Stonehouse in the west of the city and Plymstock and Plympton in the east, through the city centre and East End. It builds on the improvements recently made through the East End Transport Scheme and will complete an east to west walking and cycling link for the city.

The project features wide ranging measures, from new walking and cycling paths and crossing improvements to travel planning advice, cycle training and public transport incentives.

Physical infrastructure improvements will include:

• The restoration of the iconic Laira Rail Bridge to create a new, off-road pedestrian and cycle path. Construction will begin in late 2013 and the bridge will open in 2014.

It will be nice to see the bridge opened and back in use!

 

• A new walking and cycling route alongside the Tothill Sidings railway line, which will be known as the Friary Park Link. Construction is expected to begin in late 2013.
• Improved pedestrian and cycle crossing facilities at to the junction of Finnigan Road and Laira Bridge Road. The signals will also be upgraded and changes will be made to reduce congestion and give greater priority to pedestrians and cyclists. Work is programmed to begin in autumn 2012.
• A new cycle route connecting the existing cycle path on Exeter Street with the train station, passing Drake Circus and Plymouth University. Work is expected to begin in early 2013.

There will also be various initiatives aimed at encouraging people to get out and use the new links and try new ways of getting from A to B. These include free cycle training for adults, personalised support with travel planning (which will be available to businesses as well as residents), group cycling events and complimentary bus 'taster tickets'.

The first event to be delivered through Plymotion is Skyride, organised in partnership with Sky and British Cycling, on Sunday 13 May. Roads around the city will be closed so that everyone can enjoy a safe, family friendly bike ride and everyone’s invited - on bikes, adaptive bikes, wheelchairs or mobility scooters. For people who want to find out more about Plymotion and how they can get involved there will be an exhibition stand on the Hoe, with friendly staff on hand to answer questions.

Hot on the heels of Skyride will be 'Plymotion on your Doorstep', where travel advisors visit local residents, chat about how they get around the city and provide advice and information on the different travel options available to them. This will be an opportunity for residents to get help with planning their journeys and find out about travel incentives on offer through the scheme, a well as let the Council know what things would encourage them to travel more by bus, bike or on foot.

Plymotion on your Doorstep will start in the East End and Mount Gould area in June and the team will visit around 4,000 households. Over the three years of the programme they will be dropping by at around a third of the city's homes. Similar initiatives in other parts of the country have helped to achieve a reduction in car trips of up to nine per cent and an increase in walking and cycling of between 10 and 13 per cent. This service will also be extended to businesses across the city, starting in the autumn.

Clive Perkin, Assistant Director for Transport said: "Plymotion is a fantastic campaign which will encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport more, helping them to both save money and become fitter.

"The walking and cycling links between the east and west of the city will be vastly improved, giving people better access to jobs, education and leisure facilities. It is exciting to be rejuvenating Laira Rail Bridge, which has been lying dormant for over 20 years, and providing a new high quality cycle route across the River Plym.

"The first event in the Plymotion campaign is Skyride this Sunday, which will be a great family day out where everyone can jump on their bike and enjoy traffic free streets as well as plenty of entertainment ahead of what promises to be a great sporting summer for the country."

The £6.36 million Plymotion programme has been awarded £4.33 million through the DfT's Local Sustainable Transport Fund and will be delivered by Plymouth Transport and Highways (the partnership between Plymouth City Council and Amey), in partnership with Sustrans, Plymouth Citybus, First Devon and Cornwall, Target Travel and the Plymouth Public Health Development Unit. If the scheme is successful in encouraging people to travel more sustainably, then elements will be rolled out to other areas of the city.

For more information, useful links and all the latest news visit the Plymotion website.