Environmentally-friendly transport

What is sustainable travel?

Sustainable travel is about reducing the amount of energy we use to get around, such as petrol and electricity, to make better use of our limited natural resources.

We can achieve this by walking and cycling more, and using public transport instead of our own cars.

The roads and transportation service is responsible for promoting sustainable forms of travel in East Renfrewshire.

Walking

Many journeys people make in East Renfrewshire are short, less than two kilometres. As walking is the most sustainable form of travel, we are working with the Scottish Executive to encourage people to walk, rather than take the car, to their local shops, school or park.

With this in mind, we are continually making it easier and safer for pedestrians, particularly near schools and on busy roads.

Cycling

Cycling is not only a means of transport. It is also a leisure activity and an aid to health and fitness. There are already thousands of cyclists, and thousands more potential cyclists.

In July 1996, the government launched the National Cycling Strategy, and we support what the strategy sets out to achieve.

Levels of cycling in Britain are low, particularly in Scotland, where only about one percent of trips are made by bicycle.

The National Cycling Strategy sets a target of doubling this by 2002, and doubling it again by 2012. We hope to reach these targets by making roads more suitable for cyclists, and through other measures such as cycle paths.

From having cycle shelters at just three secondary schools in 1996, we now have 60 throughout East Renfrewshire. With our help, Scotrail and Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority have also greatly improved facilities for cyclists at local railway stations.

In 1998, we created 3.5 kilometres of cycle lanes from Mearns Cross to Eastwood Park, and we have recently extended them south to the New Mearns Primary School, and north to Eastwood Toll. There is a further kilometre of signposted route to Thornliebank.

Public transport

East Renfrewshire Council is a member of Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority (SPTA). The SPTA is responsible for co-ordinating public transport services and infrastructure in the region. The more we use public transport instead of our cars, the more we can reduce congestion, parking problems, fuel consumption and pollution.

Our leaflet, ‘Your guide to public transport’, tells you more about this.

We can all also promote sustainable travel through car-sharing, well-maintained vehicles, smooth driving and low speeds.

Road traffic reduction

By law, we have to:

  • assess the levels of road traffic within the council area on roads other than motorways & trunk roads
  • prepare a forecast of the expected growth in these levels
  • specify targets to reduce the levels of local traffic in the area or to reduce the rate of growth in the levels of such traffic
  • put in place indicators and ways of monitoring how we assess future performance against these targets.

You can read more about our plans in your local library or on our website. One of our main aims is to reduce traffic in the ‘school run’. This could relieve the morning peak flows considerably. The following is a list of organisations that may provide useful information on sustainable travel:

Association for commuter transport:
0207 348 1987

Sustrans (National Network of Cycle Tracks):
0117 929 0888

CTC (national cycling organisation):
01483 417217

Go Bike! (local cycling organisation):
07932 460093

Traveline (Public Transport Information):
0870 608 2608

Living Streets (formerly the Pedestrians' Association):
0207 820 1010.

Service standards

The local services provided by all council departments in East Renfrewshire have set measurable service standards. These are designed to give local people a way of measuring where services are succeeding or failing to deliver. These standards represent the minimum level of service you should expect from the environment  department.

Our pledge to you…

We will treat all customers fairly and with respect and dignity at all times.

We will actively promote the establishment of sustainable and integrated forms of transportation across East Renfrewshire, which will meet the needs of all road users’ particularly the most vulnerable.

We will carefully prioritise roads and footpath repairs and consider them for inclusion within the 3-year revenue programme or 5-year capital programme.

We will respond appropriately to adverse weather forecasts during the winter period and undertake gritting operations to designated priority routes before the onset of peak traffic movements.

We will take into account specific local knowledge in designing traffic safety schemes.

We will carry out studies into crashes and incidents on the roads of East Renfrewshire and take measures to prevent these in future.

We will co-ordinate road works to minimise delays to the travelling public.