Roger Clarke, convenor of the Travelling Light team, and Anne Robinson, our lead transport campaigner, are presenting a bold new vision for integrated rural transport to the East Midlands Mayoral Authority and the Department for Transport – and we’d love to know what you think.
Switzerland has one of the best public transport systems in the world – even its rural villages enjoy frequent, reliable, integrated services. Inspired by that model, we want to bring the same ambition to the UK countryside with the Switzerland in the Peak Distric pilot here in the Hope Valley.
Our goal is to show how rural areas like ours can have dependable, joined-up bus and rail services, linked with safe walking and cycling routes. Working with the East Midlands Mayoral Authority, local public authorities, Northern Trains, and local bus operators, we aim to produce a costed, deliverable proposal based on the needs of local people and visitors, and an integrated rail-bus service design. At the end of June, we were delighted to receive funding from the Foundation for Integrated Transport (FIT) to deliver the initial proposal.
WHY is the project needed?
We urgently need ambitious, inspiring models of sustainable rural transport. The project aims to improve everyday transport for local people alongside boosting vital access to the outdoors for residents of surrounding urban areas. The Hope Valley is in the heart of the Peak District and within an hour’s drive of 16 million people, principally in Manchester and Sheffield. However, one-third of residents in Sheffield do not have access to a car and Manchester has amongst the lowest car ownership levels in the country. Hope Valley currently receives between 3 and 5 million visitors per year, making it one of the most popular rural destinations in the UK. An estimated 90% of these
journeys are made by car. This level is unsustainable given that the transport sector remains the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the UK. Excessive car travel also causes congestion, results in antisocial parking, and makes roads unsafe for walkers and cyclists. Car dependency remains high in rural areas but this is neither inevitable nor desirable – it is a result of decades of disinvestment and fragmented services. We need to develop integrated public and active travel networks. By showing how this
can work in the Hope Valley, we will create healthier, happier, and safer rural communities and boost the visitor economy.
You can find more information about the project here. Please note this document is a work in progress.
We would like to hear from anyone who lives or works in the Hope Valley, particularly those who have experience of Swiss transport, and from anyone with ideas about ambitious improvements to buses, trains, and active travel. Please get in touch by emailing lauriecooper@
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @hopevalleyclimateaction to stay up to date with all things HVCA.
2 responses
I live in the Hope valley and am concerned not only that the valley receives so many visitors using cars but that the Hope valley route has become a major route through the Peak District for commuters between Manchester and Sheffield. Speed limits and village calming or chicanes and signage might discourage this traffic.
On a different point, Swiss transport and the integrated ticketing (rail and buses) including tickets to use transport with visitor accommodation encourages the use of public transport. The Hope valley could benefit from similar policies.
Hi Susan, thank you for taking the time to read the blog and respond with your concerns about car use in the Hope Valley. If we have an informal meeting about the project, would you like to join us? If so, please send Laurie an email, and she will add you to the list. lauriecooper@hopevalleyclimateaction.org.uk