TravelSmart is a successful WA community based program that helps us make smarter choices about the way we travel.
The average Western Australian uses their car for around 80% of the journeys they make, but only actually need a car for around 40%.
TravelSmart encourages us to swap one or two of our weekly car journeys to a smarter, more sustainable form of transport. TravelSmart options include walking, riding a bike, using public transport or car-pooling.
Local trips, such as going to the corner store for a few groceries or to a friend's house, are easy TravelSmart options. Trips that you make every day, such as going to work or to school are good choices too. Almost everyone can identify one or two trips in their weekly schedule that they don’t actually need a car for, and which could be changed to a TravelSmart mode. And when you look at the benefits of making the change, it’s hard to come up with a reason not to!
The City of Belmont has employed a TravelSmart Officer to help community members make smarter travel choices. If you would like to get involved in any of the TravelSmart programs, or you would like more information about walking, cycling, public transport or car-pooling in your area, please contact the City's TravelSmart Officer on 9477 7163 or email travelsmart@belmont.wa.gov.au
Benefits of TravelSmart
Being TravelSmart has many benefits for you, your community, and the environment.
Benefits for You:
-Increased physical activity
-Lose weight without trying
-Improve your health
-Easy way to find 30
Save money:
-Pavements are free - petrol isn’t
-Bike service - $80 per year, car service - $500 per year
-Car parking costs money, bike parking is free
Benefits for Your Community:
-Less traffic
-Reduced congestion and parking problems
-Quiet local roads stay that way, not major traffic routes
Safe neighbourhoods:
-More ‘eyes on the street’ discourages local crime
-Fewer cars means less traffic danger – especially important around schools
-Fewer ‘dead’ community spaces that can attract criminal behaviour, such as empty, unlit car parks at night
Benefits for the Environment:
-Parks and bushland instead of car parks and roads
-Reduced air pollution, resulting in less respiratory disease
-Reduced greenhouse gases – help slow global warming