Following on from our 15 October meeting, some key information and an appeal for your support. Apologies for the bureaucratic jargon– as discussed at the meeting, we are competing for funds and must make our case accordingly.

Cambridgeshire County Council’s bid to the Local Sustainable Transport Fund succeeded in winning revenue funding to help develop sustainable travel planning through ‘Travel for Cambridgeshire’ (a scheme that encourages sustainable transport, especially to employment, and which includes some financial incentives such as discounts on bicycles and reductions on rail fares).

Unfortunately, accompanying capital funding for the Melbourn-Royston cycle path itself was not successful, as originally thought. However, other funding prospects are now being vigorously pursued, and your help would be greatly appreciated.

What can you do?

1. Write letters of support for safe cycle links to your MP and councillors – contact details below.

Appeals for any specific cycle links along the A10 corridor (Melbourn-Royston or any other) would be most effective by setting this context: The A10 corridor between Royston and Cambridge, including links between villages alongside, is an ideal candidate for the development of safe cycle routes because

• A preponderance of employment centres at either end and in between means a high level of potential cycling to work
• Cycling distances are easily achievable but currently unattractive due to safety conditions
• Vehicle congestion on approaches to Royston and Cambridge is now reaching gridlock, before the completion of substantial housing development across the area.
• Anything else you consider to be important – health benefits, cheaper travel, etc.

2. Please ask your employer to support a scheme called ‘Travel for Cambridgeshire’.

• The Travel for Cambridgeshire team will be working systematically from Spring 2015 but is raising awareness now, and getting businesses to sign up early would help our funding bids: employer sign-up to Travel for Cambridgeshire strengthens any bids for capital funding, as it helps to signal an area ready to take up cycling to work once safe cycle links are in place.

• A draft letter is below if you would like to use it. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. (Please note that the aim will be to include North Herts businesses in this recruitment process but the arrangements for this have not yet been agreed.)

Other news – please see draft minutes for other updates including a proposed warden scheme. Secateurs in panniers!

Thank you very much for your help. Our next meeting will take place on 29 January, 7 for 7:30, at Sagentia, Harston Mill, Harston – and thanks to Matthew Chandler for his help in organizing this.

Contacts

Julian Huppert MP, Cambridge: Julian.huppert.mp@parliament.uk
Andrew Lansley MP, South Cambridgeshire: Andrew.lansley.mp@parliament.co.uk
Oliver Heald MP, Royston: oliver.heald.mp@parliament.uk
Sebastian Kindersley, County Councillor Barrington, Haslingfield, Orwell: Sebastian.kindersley@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Tony Orgee and Gail Kenney, County Councillors, Hauxton, Harston: tony.orgee@cambridgeshire.gov.uk, gail.kenney@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Peter Topping, County Councillor, Fowlmere: peter.topping@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Susan van de Ven, County Councillor, Foxton, Shepreth, Meldreth, Melbourn: susanvandeven@yahoo.co.uk
Fiona Hill and Tony Hunter, County Councillors, Royston and North Herts Rural: Fiona.hill@hertfordshire.gov.uk, tony.hunter@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Ray Manning, Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council: ray.manning@scambs.gov.uk
Steve Count, Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council: steve.count@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Lewis Herbert, Leader of Cambridge City Council: lewis.herbert@cambridge.gov.uk

Template letter for your employer – please feel free to personalize

Dear

The A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign actively encourages local employers to sign up for the Travel for Cambridgeshire Partnership.

The Travel for Cambridgeshire Partnership (TfC) is a not for profit organisation hosted by the County Council, one of its ten partners. They encourage businesses to promote sustainable modes of travel to and for work by developing a travel plan with support from TfC. TfC are aiming to give companies tools and services that make this process as easy as possible and will allow them to be more productive and profitable because and their employees become fitter and more effective.

Employers already supported by TfC have seen a reduction in on-site parking pressures and cost savings at the workplace. They have also seen the gains resulting from a healthier, less-stressed workforce which helps reduce absenteeism and increase effectiveness and staff retention.

Membership of TfC is free to you and services are of excellent quality. These include

• 10% discounts on rail season tickets
• Various discounts at local bicycle shops and discounts on bicycle training
•An annual awards process and ceremony
• An annual travel survey
Mapping of home locations of staff
• Online car sharing scheme – www.CamShare.co.uk
• Bi-monthly newsletter and Twitter account (@Travel_for_Work)
• Free sustainable travel advice and travel plan guidance

TfC can also work with businesses on the writing and implementation of travel plans, which are often required to meet planning conditions. Promoting sustainable transport in general can have the added bonus of PR and a positive corporate image.

I very much encourage you to join TfC’S membership of 175 other business sites employing 75,500 commuters. Give them a call on 01223 715550 or email info@tfc.org.uk.

Sincerely yours

www.a10corridorcycle.com

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