Faith Travel Plan Initiatives
Project
WestTrans
May 2013
Project Purpose
Travel to faith destinations can significantly impact a local community and
with an increase in the development of faith sites in West London
and pan London the number of sites requesting planning
permission and requiring a travel plan is increasing.
The project;
- Builds on learning captured by the WestTrans ‘Have Faith in Travel
Planning Guidance’ handbook
- Aims to help faith sites implement measures to address modal
change which they would otherwise not be able to due to time or cost
implications
Project Aims
Two primary aims of the project:
•
compile a database of significant faith sites in the WestTrans subregion including locations in London Boroughs of Brent,
Hammersmith & Fulham, Hillingdon, Harrow, Hounslow and Ealing
•
Provide selected West London Boroughs with a package of
measures to help support the development of a faith site travel plan
or contribute to measurable modal shift change.
Project Overview – Stage 1
The project was divided into two stages;
Stage 1 - Database & Mail shot
- Development of a database of faith sites in
the WestTrans sub-region
- Contact with selected faith sites inviting them to
take part in the project
Project Overview – Stage 2
Stage 2 - Promotion & Marketing of
WestTrans Faith Travel Plan Offerings
- Promotion of Offerings package to selected faith
sites
- Supporting sites to implement the Offerings
- Gathering feedback from site involvement.
Support Provided
•12 sites participated from 5 London Boroughs London Boroughs of Brent,
Hillingdon, Harrow, Hounslow and Ealing.
• Each site received:
- 6 months of support to help support, guide and implement Offerings.
- at least one WestTrans Faith Travel Plan Offering
Sites & Offerings
Site Name
Cranford Mosque
Congregation
Size
London
Borough of
~300
Hounslow
- Cycle Stands
- Transport Leaflet
WestTrans Offerings Received
Hussaini Islamic
Mission
~120
Hounslow
- Travel Plan Statement
- Cycle Stands
- Transport Chart
Chiswick SDA Church
~250
Hounslow
- Cycle Stands
- Transport Leaflet
Brentford and
Isleworth Quakers
N/A
Hounslow
- General Support to plan Dr Bike
Event
Oasis Church Feltham
~150
Hounslow
- Cycle Stands
Hounslow Masjid
N/A
Hounslow
- Sustainable Travel Support &
Guidance
Sites & Offerings
Site Name
Congregation
Size
London
Borough of
WestTrans Offerings Received
Greenford Gospel
Church
~100
Ealing
- Travel Plan Statement
- Sustainable transport posters
- Site Event Transport Leaflet
Holy Cross
~90
Ealing
- Travel Habits Survey & Report
Islamic Cultural Centre
N/A
Brent
- Sustainable Travel Support &
Guidance
Iman Khoei Centre
N/A
Brent
- Cycle Training
- Transport Leaflet
St Alban’s Church
~400
Harrow
Hayes Muslim Centre
N/A
Hillingdon
- Travel Plan Statement
- Cycle Stands
- Transport Leaflet
- Transport Leaflet
Cycle Stands
Travel Leaflets
Travel Habits Survey
TPS Documents
Case Studies 1/2
Case Studies 2/2
Project Outputs
• Usable database of faith sites in the WestTrans sub-region.
•List of faith sites participating in the project and offerings received
• Post implementation questionnaire to assess process and involvement
• 6 Case studies for selected faith sites
• Project report
Lessons Learnt
Commencing and sustaining engagement with faith sites. Issues included:
- Faith site personnel are often part time volunteers – often limited,
restricted involvement and capability.
- Site representatives change regularly depending on other
commitments.
- Not always able to give confirmation for action, needs higher approval
Limited travel plan knowledge at faith sites, its purpose and site’s
responsibility to addressing actions and travel plan targets.
Inability to prepare suitable text for leaflets, due to lack of time and
expertise to develop appropriate content.
Findings
Faith sites participating in the project were primarily sites that:
• Have a travel plan in place, often monitored by the local Council
• Have been asked to submit a travel plan to meet planning regulations
• Have a particularly interested in sustainable transport.
Attending a site meeting helps to highlight the importance of travel plans
and stimulate further interest and participation
Producing/working with a Travel Plan Statement (TPS) rather than a full
travel plan is more realistic and effective due to lack of prior knowledge of
travel planning.
Sites appreciate the help but have little time to dedicate to tasks
Recommendations
•Recommend sharing the travel plan role at faith establishments.
•Check status of travel plan resources within individual West London
Boroughs.
•Blanket TPS agreement with all local Boroughs
•Identify mutual benefit to work with other surrounding organisations
•Review umbrella faith organisations that promote sustainability.
•Utilise expert support to prepare text for integrated transport leaflets
•Evaluate six months after implementation
Next Steps…
• Promotion
• Agree standard TPS template
• Monitor the success
• Use TPS as a starting point for faith sites