Member Article

New website to ease congestion

A new website launched this week aimed at influencing travel behaviour hopes to reduce congestion in and around Team Valley. The Highways Agency is working in partnership with Gateshead Council, One NorthEast, UK Land Estates and NEXUS, to improve journey times affecting local and through traffic in the region by applying travel planning techniques.

A new dedicated Team Valley interactive website, www.accessteamvalley.co.uk, will enable users to calculate their travel costs, plan their journey to work and find fellow car sharers. It is also hoped that employers will use the site to assess benefits for their business.

Other techniques promoted by the Partnership include developing travel plans to reduce the impact of both existing and planned development on the road network. One of the main aims of the initiative is to reduce congestion on the A1 Gateshead/Newcastle Western Bypass.

Graham Riley, Influencing Travel Behaviour Regional Programming Manager for the Highways Agency said: “Team Valley has 700 companies employing over 17,000 employees on a transport infrastructure that has become close to capacity. The number of trips into the estate at the morning peak is some 5,300 vehicles with 5,100 trips at the evening peak time. We are looking to shift over 1,100 of these trips from single user car journey to car share, increased public transport use, walking and cycling.

“We see this as a key to continued, sustainable, economic growth and are working positively to release capacity from our network to allow more future development. We realise that changing driver behaviour and getting workable travel plans will take time, but we are committed to move ahead with companies on Team Valley to improve journey times.“For more information, or to start looking at Travel Plans, visit the Access Team Valley website at www.accessteamvalley.co.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .