Watford life is more fun without the car
In August, the TravelSmart project in Watford came to an end, having reached more than 20,000 households in the town with free information and support to help people cut their car use in favour of walking, cycling and public transport when and where it suits them best.
TravelSmart has been shown to reduce car use by 10 to14 per cent wherever it operates, and we expect to see a similar outcome in Watford when the results of the project are announced next year.
In the meantime, many Watford families are sticking to the small travel changes that have transformed the way they get around.
Kathlyn Evans and her family were using their car for most daily trips when the TravelSmart team arrived in their street. The family requested an information pack, and a home visit from cycling advisor Stephen Lawrence.
Kathlyn said: "We wanted to find safe spaces for my younger girls to go on their bikes and needed some advice on getting a bike for my older daughter, who's got special needs.
"Stephen was great - he safety checked the youngest girls' bikes and suggested we get an adult trike for my eldest daughter. I didn't even know you could get adult trikes! My Dad's just found one, so she'll be able to go out cycling with her sisters soon."
Kathlyn's younger daughters, Julie and Claire, were eager to get cycling after Stephen's visit: "They'd only been out on them three or four times before the visit but now every time the sun shines they're asking "Can we go out on the bikes?". They feel a lot healthier and are pleased to be doing something for the environment!"
The family has also realised how easy and stress-free it is to use the bus for longer trips: "The other week we used the timetables TravelSmart gave us to get the bus to the computer shop. It took just one hour from leaving the house to getting back. You wouldn't have been able to do that in the car - it was brilliant!"
The family are all enjoying the small changes they've made and plan to keep on walking, cycling and using the bus: "We used to jump in the car to do the weekly shop but now we walk with the girls. Unless we really have to use the car we don't - it just sits on the driveway!"