GoSmart Dumfries and Galloway

GoSmart Dumfries and Galloway

SWestrans and Dumfries and Galloway Council successfully bid for Scottish Government funding as part of the Smarter Choices, Smarter Places (SCSP) initiative for GoSmart Dumfries. GoSmart Dumfries aimed to have an impact in four policy areas: 1. Transport: reducing congestion and journey times 2. Climate change: reducing carbon emissions 3. Health: reducing disease caused by inactivity 4. Economy: Improving conditions for conducting business

The GoSmart Dumfries Project consisted of 19 elements The LUPS funding included 7 of these Other projects supported the TravelSmart objectives 1. Multi-modal Transport Interchange Enhancements (including RTI) 2. Park and Choose Sites 3. Town Centre Parking Demand Measures 4. Bus Measures 5. Public Realm Enhancements 6. Green Commuter Routes 7. Additional Town Centre 20mph Zones 8. A Sustainable Travel Information Strategy 9. Town Centre Bus Network Improvements 10.Ticketing Improvements 11.Promote Salary Sacrifice to Employers 12.Introduce a Car Club 13.Self-Service Bike Hire Scheme 14.Maintain and Promote DGtripshare.com 15.DGRI Travel Plan Implementation 16.Youth Cycling Development (Stepping Stanes) 17.Crichton Travel Plan 18.Personalised Travel Planning 19.Research Project

Project Management Structure Dumfries and Galloway Council PHES Committee Project Manager (John Nelson) SWestrans Board Projects being progressed by Dumfries and Galloway Council 1. Transport Interchanges 2. Park and Choose 3. Parking Demand 4. Bus Measures 5. Public Realm Enhancements 6. Green Commuter Routes 7. 20mph Zones Projects being progressed by other partners 15. DGRI Travel Plan (NHS) 16. Youth Cycling Development 17. Crichton Travel Plan (CDC) Projects being progressed by SWestrans 8. Travel Information Strategy 9. Bus Network 10. Ticketing Improvements 11. Salary Sacrifice 12. Car Club 13. Bike Hire 14. DGtripshare 18. Personalised Travel Planning 19. Research Project A designated project officer is assigned to each project element = Reporting

GoSmart History of Reporting To SWestrans Board Date Reason for Report 23 May 2008 To seek approval for Stage 2 bid 25 July 2008 To advise of the bid submission 4 September 2008 To advise of the bid success 21 November 2008 To agree acceptance of the SCSP grant offer 22 May 2009 To agree acceptance of ERDF funding 24 July 2009 To note detailed proposals and project update 25 September 2009 To advise of Area Committee consultation 20 November 2009 To update on progress 29 January 2010 To update on launch event 19 November 2010 To update on progress 25 March 2011 To update on bus service 5A 20 May 2011 To update on progress 17 May 2013 Final outcomes report To Dumfries and Galloway Council 9 December 2008 To agree acceptance of SCSP grant offer PHES Cttee 8 September 2009 Programme details and progress PHES Cttee 28 October 2009 To consider and review proposals Nithsdale Area Cttee 10 November 2009 Outcome of Area Committee consultation PHES Cttee 1 September 2010 To consider further details Nithsdale Area Cttee May 2013 Final Outcomes Report PHES Committee November 2013 Extension to other towns PHES Committee

1. Multi-modal Transport Interchange Enhancements (including RTI) Proposed interchange facilities have been completed at Whitesands and Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, together with the development of Real Time Information systems. Great King Street, bus infrastructure and cycle link to the station. Real Time Information displays have been installed at various locations.

2. Park and Choose Sites Lochthorn Library is located two miles from the town centre. The adjacent Caledonian Cycleway makes it ideal, convenient and attractive to walk or cycle into town. A Bike2Go hire hub has been located at the site, making cycling into town more accessible and convenient. A bus stop served by service 1 as well as rural buses is included at the site. The facility seeks to encourage people to park on the periphery outside the town centre and use one of a range of alternative sustainable transport modes including bus, carshare, bike or walk to get to their destination. Unlike Park and Ride sites, Park and Choose sites offer a wider choice of travel modes to suit a range of travel and lifestyle needs. Similar sites have been developed on Glasgow Road to the north and Garroch Loaning to the West of the town.

3. Parking Demand Measures Completed during 2011/12 20mph zones off main circulatory system and standardised 2- hour parking on-street 4. Bus Measures A range of measures has been implemented to make bus stops more visible, attractive and accessible, convenient and easy to use. These include bus stop poles, flags and timetable panels at around 200 sites across Dumfries, covering all major bus corridors. 5. Public Realm Enhancements A major project for a total upgrade of the footway quality in Friars Vennel has been completed. This historic street is an extension of the pedestrianised town centre, and provides a link to the Whitesands Multimodal Transport Interchange location. The upgraded surface has improved accessibility, particularly for mobility impaired users, and has enhanced the attractiveness of bus, pedestrian and cycle access to the town.

6. Green Commuter Routes (1) New routes and paths have been constructed at a number of locations, where an attractive, safe and convenient pedestrian and cycling environment has been created in order to encourage car commuters to switch to these more sustainable modes of transport. Craigs Ridge: connecting Georgetown to the Crichton Campus, Dumfries and Galloway College and Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary via Maidenbower complete. Georgetown to Town Centre: Two sections have been completed - St Josephs College Playing Fields path has been upgraded, allowing improved access from the Calside area of Georgetown to the town centre, and a new path on the south side of Craigs Road.

6. Green Commuter Routes (2) KM Bridge to Crichton via Castledykes Park, and Links to Mavis Grove and Broomlands: Taken together these two completed projects provide greatly enhanced pedestrian and cycle accessibility to the key trip attractors of the Hospitals, University and Crichton Business park from the west side of the town. Burns Walk: upgrade to riverside access complete. Station to Mabie Forest: A cycle link to Mabie Forest allowing visitors and locals alike the opportunity to ride out to the 7Stanes trail centre adjacent hotel and Farm Park. This route will also enhance connection to the proposed new hospital site.

6. Green Commuter Routes (3) Signing on Garroch Loaning Park Road Heathhall Forest Link Bus Shelters

7. Additional 20mph Zones St Theresa s and Georgetown/Calside projects complete. 8. Sustainable Travel Information Strategy GoSmart Branding Website: gosmartdumfries.co.uk Email address: gosmart@dumgal.gov.uk Travel Club: 5000 members Newsletters Events Products/information

9. Bus Network Improvements Seven new buses introduced Service D5A implemented Dumfries Town Network revised Bus service D5A has been introduced as part of the project. This service, connecting Georgetown to the Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary and the Crichton, was established to address poor bus connectivity and to help reduce congestion between Georgetown and the Crichton. There are more than 700 residents in Georgetown that are employed by the hospital in the Crichton. 10. Ticketing Improvements Not implemented, but funding used to sustain the D5A service and bring its expiry date into line with the other subsidised Dumfries town services which expired on 31 March 2012.

11. Promote Salary Sacrifice to Employers During December 2009 HMRC issued advice for employers and employees entering into salary sacrifice schemes. The advice had significant implications for Bike to Work schemes, and many established schemes were suspended while the implications were considered. Issues affecting the operation of schemes have now been resolved, and Bike to Work is once again being actively promoted. Given the life cycle of these schemes a number of employees found that the terms of their lease changed mid term resulting a degree of uncertainty that has continued to hang over these schemes nationally to this day. A package of resource materials for employers was assembled, and many employers have received a personal visit from an adviser. A total of 154 Dumfries employers had been contacted. An employer database has been established, allowing engagement to be tracked.

12. Introduce a Car Club A car Club was introduced to Dumfries on November 2012 with 6 cars in 3 locations in central Dumfries. One of fastest growing car clubs in the UK. Moved from 6 members to 70 members in just over one year (approx 160 drivers). Fleet of 6 cars but additional electric car coming online now plus an eighth car likely in near future. Over 30% utilisation (20% is deemed to be point at which car club is deemed viable)

13. Bike Hire Scheme Scotland s first automated self-service, on-street public bike hire scheme was launched in Dumfries at Lochthorn Park and Choose Site on 7 September 2010 by Scottish Transport Minister, Stewart Stevenson MSP. The event received wide local and national media coverage, including local and national newspapers, and has gathered wide public attention. Currently there are Hire-a-Bike Hubs located at: Crichton Campus Crichton Business Park Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary Dumfries Railway Station DG One Dock Park Georgetown Library Lochthorn Library Whitesands TIC Cargen Tower Garroch Loaning

14. Maintain and Promote DGtripshare.com 486 members registered on the site. 251 of these have registered to seek for daily or weekly regular car share matches. 486 members registered on the site, where 251 of these have registered to seek for daily or weekly regular car share matches. Out of the 486 members, 31% are seeking a lift, 48% are both seeking and offering a lift, 16% are offering a lift, 2% are seeking a cycling partner, and 2% are seeking a walking partner. 80% of journey types registered are commuting, while 5% are business, 5% are for events, and 4% are for leisure. 15. DGRI Travel Plan Implementation Measures include: Travel Plan co-ordination Promotion and awareness campaigns Car sharing Bus services Walking, cycling and motorcycling measures Monitoring.

16. Youth Cycling Development Stepping Stanes Cycling Club became fully established and provided a full programme of coaching, guided rides and race calendar throughout the year until 2012. As key people left Dumfries the club failed to maintain sufficient coaching support however the momentum that had been created helped drive the growth of the Annan Youth Cycle Club and a number of the previous Stepping Stanes coaches are now actively involved in the Club. The club is currently re forming and will be delivering coaching sessions from the beginning of June. Further information is available on the club website at www.steppingstanes.co.uk.. 17. Crichton Travel Plan Measures include: Membership of DGtripshare.com Cycle facilities Bus facilities Travel information, promotion and marketing

18. Personalised Travel Planning Advisors conducted one-to-one engagements with residents of Georgetown, Troqueer, Kingholm Quay, Maxwelltown and Summerhill. 7,381 households were contacted within the target areas: 2,399 people (33%) engaged at the doorstep became a participant, willing to receive information and/or reduce their car use and use more sustainable and/or more active modes of transport and a further 699 (9%) were classified as Already travelling sustainably. The PTP staff engaged the public at 38 events during the summer. We are now working with the NHS to include PTP as part of the prescribing of physical activity. PTP training will shortly be included in syllabus for training nurses.

19 Research The research project was intended to examine the effectiveness of established transport project appraisal methods at capturing and evaluating the long-term impacts of soft-policy interventions given the permanent implications of the consequences of climate change and other policy targets. For example, how does varying investment discount period affect Benefit/Cost Ratio? This element was not progressed. Monitoring Monitoring work is being carried out by the Scottish Government. Monitoring and Evaluation Plan March 2009 Baseline Report December 2009 Year 1 Impact and Process Report July 2010 The Go brand in Dumfries is the most recognised of the pilots in Scotland. Comment from independent SCSP monitors

Engagement GoSmart made us think about how we travel. We have also joined in on the community challenge, which has been really good fun. I used to walk and cycle regularly but then I bought a car. I used my car constantly, even for short journeys to the local shop or into town. GoSmart made me realise how complacent I had become so I decided to get my walking boots on, dust the cobwebs off my bicycle and get back to walking and cycling.

End of Project and Beyond As a consequence of the successful ERDF/LUPS grant bid GoSmart Dumfries was extended to a four year project, and continued into the 2011/12 financial year, with branding and PTP extended to Lockerbie. Regional Roll-out following reporting of project conclusion and outcomes to Committee in May and November 2013, it was agreed to roll-out elements of the project, including branding, information and minor infrastructure improvements to 13 communities in the region, with populations in excess of 2,000, and with a local town bus service. This began in 2013/14 with Dalbeattie and Kirkcudbright, and is funded from the additional SCSP funding. A multi Agency approach has been and remains key to the success of the project. A multi-modal approach has proven beneficial. Co-Wheels car club continues to grow There is a need to review options for cycle hire scheme Although PTP has ceased for general population, it is being delivered through partnership working with Joint Health and Wellbeing Unit, to improve the levels of physical activity of nursing staff.