A map of one of the most rural areas of the district of Bradford could help visitors and residents make the choice to chose alternatives to the car.
The Bingley Rural Green Travel Project want to encourage more people explore and enjoy the area’s green spaces and hidden gems by walking, cycling and public transport instead of using their car.
The Bingley Rural Green Travel Map, thought to be the first of its kind, covers the area south west of Bingley, which includes St Ives Estate and the villages of Harden, Cullingworth, Wilsden and Denholme.
It shows 10 places to enjoy, local bus routes, and some of the area’s walking and cycling routes. It will be distributed for free in local venues and shops and online.
The launch of the map, just ahead of Bradford’s Clean Air Zone being rolled out, is the culmination of a year-long initiative to get people thinking and talking about green travel.
As well as encouraging residents and visitors to consider the alternatives to driving, the project collected views from hundreds of people on how public transport, walking and cycling might be made more convenient and appealing for local people and the area’s thousands of visitors.
The Project’s ‘roadshows’, online survey found:
- 63% of people in the area drive most days, while 46% never use the bus
- The vast majority of visitors to the St Ives Estate (93%) travelled by car
- 31% of respondents weren’t sure about public transport in the area
The Bingley Rural Green Travel Project is run by Cullingworth Village Council, Denholme Town Council, Harden Village Council and Wilsden Parish Council, working with the charity Sustrans and social enterprise Mapping for Change.
Councillor Jools Townsend, Harden Village Council, said: “The project aims to get people thinking, talking and airing their views on green travel, and exploring how we can help more people to get around and visit this beautiful area without adding to traffic and pollution.
“The mode of transport we use is, understandably, not often at the forefront of people’s minds, but cutting car use and using the alternatives whenever possible is one of the best ways we can tackle the climate emergency, improve our health and local environments, and counter rising fuel costs.”
