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Living in a rural community in the Peak District National Park is wonderful, and the residents in these areas are well aware of how lucky they are. However, this rural idyll comes at a price; it’s rarely possible to just ‘nip to the shops’, easily visit a cinema, doctor or dentist surgery, or indeed do many of the things a city dweller (thanks to the close proximity of such facilities and good public transport links) takes for granted. Most people in the area rely on private cars in order to be able to go about daily life, and in the Hope Valley, two-thirds of regular journeys by adults are more than five miles. The public transport infrastructure is patchy, unreliable, and not currently perceived as a viable alternative for most people.

Local residents are joined by between three and five million visitors each year, and numbers have been growing during the pandemic. 90% of journeys to the National Park are made by car, as current public transport often does not serve the tourist attractions people wish to visit.

Cycling uptake in the Derbyshire Dales is also extremely low, only 2.6% of people cycle for travel once a week. This could be due to the terrain (this IS the Peak District) but also the lack of defined and maintained cycle routes. Cyclists from outside the area will often drive and park up before heading out on their bikes, as the routes into the area are perceived as unsafe. Something as simple as changing the speed limit to 20mph in villages and narrow lanes, could make walking and cycling feel safer and more attractive.

Given that transport is the UK’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, responsible for 27% of total emissions, what can be done in this region to work towards lowering the impact?

Here are some ideas from Hope Valley Climate Action groups ‘Travelling Light’ report; you can read more about the initiative on their website. The group is making a bid to Department for Transport for the Hope Valley to be a national beacon of sustainable travel for the future.

What if…

• people could travel safely by bike and on foot to reach local services, schools and workplaces

• people took fewer journeys, working from home more

• there were simple ways to share journeys or even the ownership of vehicles

• some spaces were car-free, reclaimed for communities, cyclists and walkers

• there were more public on-demand services available to get people where they want to go

• more people had access to e-bikes, so they could travel further by bike

• public transport was easy to understand and use with one network, one ticket and one timetable

• there was a Hope Valley Mobility Hub, integrating all travel options into one welcoming place

• it was convenient to charge an electric vehicle, even without a private driveway

Ask yourselves if there is anything you can do NOW to reduce the car journeys you make.

These articles are researched and written by Laura Billingham, a local content writer and author. Laura moved to the Peak District several years ago to pursue her passion for writing.

To find out more visit www.landgassociates.co.uk or contact Laura on 07736 351341

Hope Valley GM

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