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TripshareSEStran backs Edinburgh Commuter Challenge

Date: 15th September 2009

 The 5th Edinburgh Commuter Challenge will once again show which journeys into Central Edinburgh are fastest, cheapest and have least environmental impact.   

Participants will set off from four departure points around Edinburgh by car, bus, train motorcycle, bicycle, or jogging/walking and head for St Andrew’s Square for 8.15am, to see which mode is fastest and causes the least environmental damage .

The earliest arrivals from each of the four departure points will receive a prize..  

Councillor Russell Imrie, Chair of SEStran, Said:  

“We are all creatures of habit and its easy to simply do the familiar thing, rather than consider other options. It is often quicker to cycle or walk into town than use the car”.  

“If people are unsure of giving it a try alone they should consider signing up to the BIkeBUDi or WalkBUDi options on TripshareSEStran. These enable novice walkers and cyclists to find like-minded people with whom to share regular journeys”.  

“The annual Commuter Challenge is an excellent way to highlight alternative methods of getting to work and to launch European Mobility Week, which runs from 16th to 22nd September.” 

Commuter Challenge Organiser Maggie Wynn added: 

 “The challenge compares some typical commuter journeys into the centre of Edinburgh for speed, cost and impact on climate change.  The event highlights that there are alternative means of commuting, which sometimes we forget once we fall into a commuting habit "  

SEStran - South East of Scotland Transport Partnership - is one of seven new Statutory Regional Transport Partnerships (RTP) created by the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005 and is a partnership of eight local councils covering the Borders, the Lothians, Edinburgh, Fife, Falkirk and Clackmannanshire.

For further information, please contact:

Andrew Dougal, SEStran Communications Officer

T: 0131-524-5161

M: 07889-010-291

E: Andrew.dougal@sestran.gov.uk E

NDS 

Notes 
  1. The four departure points for the Commuter Challenge will be:

·         Ingliston Park and Ride

 ·         Ocean Terminal

·         Edinburgh Royal Infirmary

·         Queen Margaret University (Musselburgh)

·         The event is organised by Edinburgh company ChangingPace, with funding from SEStran 

  1. Each year the week has a theme. This year it is "Improving City Climates". This is a reference to the important UN conference on climate change taking place in Copenhagen in December. In addition the theme is designed to "permit a wider interpretation than climate change, e.g. general ambience of the city, peacefulness, liveability, quality of life, air quality, traffic congestion, road safety etc". 
Edinburgh's website listing all events is http://edinburgh-emw.info  
  1. Departures will be timed so that the participants from each starting point will arrive at St Andrew's Square around 8.15am.  

  2. Journeys will be assessed on the basis of time of arrival, and all participants will have to follow the highway code and other regulations.
 
  1. Car drivers will have to observe the speed limit and park legally, public transport users will have to buy a ticket, and cyclists will only be allowed to use roads and recognised cycle routes.
 
  1. European Mobility Week (EMW) begins on 16 September. It is an annual event involving many towns and cities across Europe. 
Edinburgh has taken part since 2002. The purpose of the week is to highlight the alternatives to car use and introduce new measures that make cities more liveable.