The submission for Loughrea incorporated the creation of a behavioural change campaign and community engagement plan supported by the provision of targeted infrastructural improvements to help create a more active and sustainable lifestyle within the town.
The full plan for the town is worth a total of €6.5 million over a five year period, and includes for measures such as Workplace Travel Plan networks, Personalised Travel Plans, School Travel Plans, Community Bike Training Schemes and other measures. These measures are aimed at creating a significant change in travel behaviour and ambitious mode shift targets were set that will result in major increases in walking and cycling to work/education with corresponding reductions in car travel.
The project involved undertaking visionary exercises with the local Council and members of the local community and an intensive series of public engagement events, including the creation of posters by local schools, public presentation evenings and an audio visual presentation. The final submission was submitted to the Department of Transport in May, who are currently assesses it with submissions from 10 other towns/cities in Ireland.
The winning Smarter Travel Areas will share in a total fund of over €50 million that will be spent over the next five years, and eventually will become exemplar towns within Ireland and Europe demonstrating the potential for change towards sustainable travel.
WSP acted as the overall project managers and lead on the development of all areas of the Smarter Travel Area bid.
For more information, please contact Matt Foy.