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Could you be a ‘travel blender’?
Z-bikes Project
Local Solutions for Local Services


Could you be a ‘travel blender’?

This question has been posed by the Rural Community Council of Essex’s (RCCE) Rural Transport and Access Adviser (RTAA) in an attempt to encourage rural communities to think more carefully about their travel habits and how they might travel wisely.

Evidence shows that 16.5% of rural households in Essex do not own a car and as a result the majority of the RTAA’s work is to provide independent advice to rural communities wishing to address the issues of rural isolation and social exclusion.

Over the past eight years, through its Linking Communities project, RCCE has done much to make people in need in our rural communities more mobile. We have supported a wide range of projects that have tackled local access problems in relation to employment, education, health and other essential services.

The key to this success has been the employment of an independent Rural Transport and Access Adviser, able to work closely with communities, but also with the knowledge and expertise to build bridges with service providers and strategic authorities.

While the priority remains to improve rural transport and access to key services the RTAA is also fully committed to a sustainable future for the rural communities of Essex. As a result the RTAA is keen to encourage the 83.5% of car owners in rural Essex to travel wisely and think about making small adjustments to their travel habits and to consider travel blending.

Living in a rural community presents many challenges and one of those is leaving the car at home and using alternative forms of transport. RCCE recognises that it may not be practical, cost effective or even convenient to give up the use of a car completely when living in the depths of the Essex countryside and to rely totally on a limited, infrequent and expensive local bus service. However, the idea behind travel blending is to encourage individuals to think about each journey and consider alternative ways of making simple, local journeys.

Some examples of travel blending that could be considered include:

• Driving to work 4 days a week, on the 5th day cycle to the station and catch a train
• Deal with a greater number of tasks on one given trip rather than making several trips to multiple locations at different times
• Use the local bus on a Saturday to go to town or to visit family and friends instead of driving
• Take the family to the cinema using public transport only
• Walk to the shop/post office rather than driving through the village
• Instead of driving, cycle to the nearest village/ town to pick up your weekend supplies

This is an opportunity to make a difference on an individual level to a global issue without having to make huge sacrifices. The idea is simple, travel blending is not asking for individuals to give up their cars but to think carefully about each trip and consider blending some alternative travel into your regular routines.

For more information on how you could become a travel blender please contact Kris Radley, RCCE’s Rural Transport and Access Adviser, details below.

Z-bikes Project

The Z-bikes project, based in Saffron Walden is a ground breaking initiative aimed at tackling the rural isolation and disadvantage experienced by young people living in rural Uttlesford when trying to access training and employment by offering them short term loans of 50cc mopeds.

In November 2004 a partnership with Uttlesford District Council, Rainer, F.C. Moore Ltd (Garage) and RCCE was established. The partnership conceived the scheme as a result of evidence based research that highlighted a need for young people in the district to become more self sufficient.

The scheme which is run by “Rainer” ,a national charity, currently owns 15 mopeds, and employs a part-time project worker who is based at the Community Service Office at (UDC) giving easy access to all youth services within Uttlesford and Essex County Council Road Safety Officer.

The scheme has been deemed a success, with the project providing much needed transport and increased opportunities for young people in rural areas. The project continues to develop and at present is looking to expand the project to other areas of the county.

Z-bikes is about more than simply providing transport. It is an enabler, encouraging and helping young people to make choices about their future, and improve their employability and skills base. At the same time this improves a person’s self confidence and prompts participation in their community and wider social circles.

RCCE are proud to be associated with Z-bikes and recently provided funding to help purchase a bike for the project as part of a corporate sponsorship pilot project. The bike was recently unveiled with its new RCCE/BAA Stansted livery and is now out on loan to a young person in Uttlesford.

For more information on the Z-bikes project or how your organisation can become involved in sponsoring a bike please contact Kris Radley, Rural Transport and Access Adviser on 0844 4773938 or Di Cross at Rainer on 01279 408370.

Local Solutions for Local Services

RCCE is to be a delivery partner for the 2nd Essex Local Area Agreement 2008-11 with a responsibility for Local Indicator 5.1 ‘Access to Services.

The Local Area Agreement (LAA) is an agreement between public, private, voluntary and community sector partners across Essex to achieve ten priorities that are regarded as key to Essex having the best quality of life in Britain. Of the ten, Priority 5 indicates that ‘Essex roads are to be safer, less congested and that everyone has access to essential service’. In order to successfully deliver this priority a number of Local Indicators (LI) have been developed including LI 5.1 Access to Services.

RCCE has developed a project called ‘Local Solutions for Local Services’ which will target support on specific communities enabling them to access key services. The project will provide communities with intensive advice, support and facilitation, empowering them to develop innovative and sustainable methods of service provision that address their identified local needs and priorities.

The RCCE plan to role out the project over the next two years and hopes that in that time we will be able to improve access to key services in a number of rural communities.