Plans to reward walking welcomed

17 OCTOBER 2011

Chair of the Transport Committee, Caroline Pidgeon AM, today welcomed Transport for London’s plans to reward people who make their journey on foot or by bike under a new incentive scheme, saying:

“This incentive scheme is a very welcome step by Transport for London as it is exactly the kind of thing I pushed for in my report on walking last year.

“Around a quarter of all journeys in the capital are already made on foot but rewarding people with offers and discounts should help get even more Londoners walking.

“The more people who walk or cycle, the fewer people there will be on overcrowded trains and buses, improving the transport experience for everyone.”

Notes for editors:

  1. Caroline Pidgeon led a special investigation on behalf of the Assembly’s Transport Committee into ways to encourage more people to make their journeys on foot, culminating in a report, Walk this Way, with a series of recommendations including urging TfL to introduce an incentive scheme (Recommendation 8), in October last year.
  2. Recyclebank and Transport for London's (TfL) scheme aims to get more people walking and cycling in the capital to help reduce pollution, ease congestion and boost fitness among Londoners.  The scheme will use technology on people's smartphones to record journeys they make on foot or by bike and then award them points for their trips which will be redeemable against a range of offers and discounts from companies such as Marks & Spencer.  The programme, which will be tested from the end of this year before being launched next spring, mirrors Recyclebank's scheme to get householders recycling by rewarding them with vouchers that can be used in shops, leisure centres and other places which are partners in the scheme.
  3. Caroline Pidgeon AM, Chair of the Transport Committee, is available for interview – see contact details below.
  4. As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.

For more details, please contact Dana Rothenberg in the Assembly Media Office on 020 7983 4603/4283.  For out of hours media enquiries please call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the Assembly duty press officer.  Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit, Greater London Authority, on 020 7983 4100.