What is TravelSmart?

TravelSmart is a successful Western Australian program overseen by the Department of Transport (DOT). TravelSmart is the name given to a series of programs which target individuals, school students and employees to make smarter, healthier and more environmentally friendly choices about how they travel.

TravelSmart works by encouraging and supporting people to change their travel habits towards walking, cycling, using public transport and carpooling. If people can change a few of their weekly car trips to alternative forms of travel, this will have a large impact on traffic congestion, air-quality and health.

The Town of Cambridge joined the TravelSmart program in 2009 and has committed to the program until 2012.

Benefits of travelling smart

Being TravelSmart has many benefits for you, your community, and your environment including:

• saving money

               - pavements are free, petrol isn't;

               - bike service = $80/year, car service = $500/year;

               - car parking costs money, bike parking is free; and

               - car parking costs money, bike parking is free.

• more time to do the things you enjoy:

            - read a book while you are on the bus;

            - talk to your children as you walk them to school; and

            - catch up with work colleagues as you car pool to work.

• increased health from being physically active;
• reduces pollution;
• reduces greenhouse gas emissions which helps to slow global warming;
• less traffic, noise and pollution in local streets;
• safer streets (More 'eyes on the street' discourages local crime);
• fewer road incidents as there are fewer cars on the streets;
• greater contact between people and a rebuilding of a sense of community; and 
• helping local businesses - walking or cycling to your local businesses will help keep smaller shopping precincts alive.

To calculate your car emissions, try the Green Vehicle Guide . To calculate your full household emissions and learn about climate change visit the Carbon Neutral website .

For further information on TravelSmart in the Town of Cambridge, please telephone 9347 6000.

Easy ways to be TravelSmart

Here are some ways in which you can travel smart:

• allow your children to walk or ride their bike to school - there are some great TravelSmart programs to help;

• use public transport for a night out - no Booze Bus worries;

• ride your bike to the corner shop and put your shopping in a bike basket or panniers - no plastic bags needed!;

• organise a roster with neighbours and take it in turns to drive the kids to school - or better still, take it in turns to walk with them;

• work from home 1 day each week - phone important clients while wearing your pyjamas;

• ride a bike to work and get some fresh air - beats riding a bike in the gym;

• pick up a colleague on the way to work and share petrol costs; and

• use public transport to get to work and catch up on reading that Tom Clancy novel you have been dying to get to grips with.

TravelSmart Guide

The Town of Cambridge, in partnership with the Department for Planning and Infrastructure, recently updated the Town of Cambridge Local TravelSmart Guide. The guide helps people determine ways to get around their local area, to find the quickest way to a major destination without needing a car. The guide provides information about public transport routes and stops, on and off road bicycle routes, walking trails, water fountains, bike parking and local facilities such as supermarkets, delis and playgrounds.

Copies are available from most Town of Cambridge facilities.