Smarter Choices Smarter Places is a Scottish Government partnership project with COSLA.
Designed to increase active travel and public transport use and tackle transport emissions, it will contribute to a number of objectives in the Scottish Government's National Performance Framework, and Local Authorities' Single Outcome Agreements.
The Scottish Government and COSLA launched Smarter Places, Smarter Choices ( Letter to Local Authorities) on March 17, 2008 ( Press Release)
A total of 39 proposals from 28 Local Authorities were received for Stage One. The proposals were assessed against an initial set of criteria. Twelve Local Authorities submitted Stage Two proposals and these were assessed according to a further set of criteria.
An announcement of the seven proposals to be funded was made on Wednesday August 13 2008. Press Release
The following authorities and regional transport partnership are undertaking Smarter Choices, Smarter Places projects:-
Work on infrastructure improvements and planning of behaviour change campaigns was carried out between September 2008 and April 2009.
The public phase of the work was launched in each of the seven project areas in May 2009 and will continue until March 2011.
Activities in these Local Authorities will include: better public transport services and residential improvements; upgrades in walking and cycling infrastructures; studies into travel patterns and access; intensive marketing and awareness campaigns; and workshops and information packs. Communities involved range from between approximately 10,000 in Kirkwall to 37,000 in Dumfries.
The projects are being monitored and evaluated by the University of Aberdeen, Derek Halden Consultancy and Integrated Transport Planning. The research consultants carried out baseline monitoring including focus groups and travel diary surveys between January and April 2009, to be followed up with telephone surveys in 2010 and 2011 and a final round of travel diary surveys in 2012.
Results of the baseline monitoring will be published in September 2009.
Smarter Choices in England
Up to £29 million over the next 3 years will be invested by the Department for Transport in at least one of England's largest cities to encourage greener travel choices. These could include plans to support walking, cycling and initiatives to improve public transport.
http://nds.coi.gov.uk/Content/Detail.aspx?NewsAreaId=2&ReleaseID=401340&SubjectId=2
This follows the success of the Department's three Sustainable Travels Demonstration towns between 2004 and 2008.
Over this period car use fell by up to 9%, walking increased by up to 14%, and cycling increased at least 12%.in the towns.
Further information on the Sustainable Travel Demonstration Towns can be found on the DfT's website:-
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/sustainable/demonstrationtowns/
You can find more information about each town's specific projects by visiting their dedicated websites. These contain details information and are updated regularly:-
Smarter Choices in Wales
The Minister for Enterprise, Innovation and Networks in Wales launched a new best practice document 'Smarter Choices: Wales' on 20 February 2007 which outlines alternative modes of transport and aims to encourage sustainable travel.
http://wales.gov.uk/topics/transport/integrated/SmarterChoices/?lang=en
It was announced in on 11 March 2009 that Cardiff had been chosen as the pathfinder for the Sustainable Travel Towns Initiative and will benefit from a multimillion pound investment in a range of sustainable transport measures. If successful, this innovative concept could be rolled out across Wales.
http://wales.gov.uk/news/topic/transport/2009/090311transport/?lang=en