Electric cars

A SEStran-backed project to assess the capabilities of electric cars has been a major success.

The experiment, carried out at Jewel & Esk College, with backing from SEStran and Midlothian Council, involved 4 electric vehicles provided by Mitsubishi. Thirty staff and students at the college used the vehicles for routine journeys between the college’s campuses.

Over 934 individual journeys took place, covering an average distance of 5.1 miles, with a total of 11000 miles travelled throughout the life of the project.

A cost-effective charging post for electric vehicles has also been developed by JEC students during the project, which may have wider applications for electric vehicles nationwide.

A powerpoint presentation on the project can be viewed here.

Getting Started - Cycling to Work : a Beginners Guide

You don't need to look good in lycra, be a super athlete or  own an expensive bicycle to become a cyclist.

Find out how to get started in this comprehensive guide, which covers everything from buying the right kind of bike to safety tips, choosing a route to work, finding bike buddies and basic maintenance. 

To download a copy of the guide, click here.

SEStran cycling events

Cycling is one of the fastest, healthiest and most environmentally sustainable form of transport for shorter journeys. SEStran and its partner authorities believe that the improvement of cycling facilities will assist present day cyclists, and encourage more people to consider cycling as a potential mode of transport.

One of SEStran’s key targets is to increase the proportion of all trips by walking and cycling by 5% over 15 years, 1.5% after 5 years.

SEStran currently sponsors two all-ability cycling evenst in South East Scotland The SEStran Two Capitals Cycle Ride and the SEStran Megacycle.

To find out more aboiut these events please visit the following websites :

SEStran Two Capitals Cycle Ride

SEStran Megacycle

Travel Plans

A Travel Plan is a package of measures aimed at promoting sustainable travel within an organisation. They can be used by organisations of all sizes, from schools to universities, small businesses to corporate Headquarters and shopping centres to football stadiums. 

Travel Plans can help reduce the impact of travel on the environment, reduce costs to business and improve the accessibility of an organisation.

SEStran works with public sector organisations, to help them to develop their own Travel Plans. We also offer free advice on Travel Plan Development to the private sector.

If you would like to find out more, contacts SEStran Travel Plan Officer Lisa Black on 0131 524 5159.

SEStran's own travel plan, plus links to further sources of information, is available here.

Case Studies

The following examples were carried out in conjunction with the SEStran Travel Plan Grants scheme. The case studies are examples of best practice. They are available as a reference tool for those establishing their own travel plan. 

Click on the links below to access the individual case studies 

• NHS Lothian Tripshare & Cycle to Work scheme click
• Fife Council Love Your Car campaign for TripshareFife click
• W. Lothian Council Travel Challenge Month for W Lothian Civic Centre click

Tripshare

Car sharing makes more efficient use of vehicles on our road, helping reduce congestion and pollution. The benefits for individuals are that:

• It increases travel choices

• Provides options in rural areas with little public transport alternatives

• Reduces their travel costs

• Can reduce the need for car ownership

For businesses, it can improve accessibility of employment centres, especially in areas with poorer public transport provision. If everyone shared a car just once a week, the number of journeys would be reduced by 20%. 

SEStran has been operating TripshareSestran.com since October 2006. Tripshare is the free, web-based car-sharing scheme to link car drivers or passengers who are making similar journeys in South East Scotland and wish to share the costs. The system can also match taxi, cycling or walking journeys.

To find out more about TripshareSEStran.com, please click here.

To access the Tripshare information leaflet in a range of minority languages, click here.