AROUND 19,000 homes in the west of Thurrock will be visited over the next few months to encourage more people to car share or use something other than a car to get around.
Personal Journey Planners (PJP) will be knocking on doors in Chafford Hundred, Ockenden and Aveley offering advice on travelling in and around the borough with the aim of highlighting healthier, more environmentally friendly and economic ways of travelling.
Last year over 4,600 homes asked for travel information as part of the PJP project and it had a dramatic impact on changing people’s attitude away from considering the car as an automatic default position.
Based on feedback results, 39 per cent said they had made or planned to make a change to their travel behaviour. Within this group, one in ten said they had already changed to travel by more sustainable modes of transport.
From the feedback results, 15 per cent had cut their car use, a fifth had increased their use of public transport, and nearly a third had taken to cycling and walking.
Cllr Andy Smith, Thurrock’s cabinet member for transport, said: “This shows a positive shift from people being reliant on their car to other means of transport that are more environmentally friendly, healthier and often more economical.
“Many people are not aware of the alternatives. They don’t know where the cycle paths are or where the bus routes are for instance.
“This is where the personal journey planners are extremely useful, highlighting these other means of travel.”
With the closure and sales of carparks in Thurrock the only thing you will be able to do is drive through or walk. It is like a sketch from the two Ronnies – the Man from the Ministry talks on the Benefits of no Car Parking. Unreal!