Greener Journeys is a campaign aimed at encouraging people to get out of their cars and onto buses and coaches - a quick and cost-effective way to reduce carbon emissions. By switching just one journey in 25, we can remove 1 billion car journeys from our roads, and in doing so we’ll see a reduction of 2 million tonnes of CO2. This is the ONE Billion Challenge.
// Flygbussarna awareness campaign (Winner IRU Special Company Award 2009)
Flygbussarna Airport Coaches offer convenient and comfortable bus services to and from all the major airports in Sweden. Taking the coach to the airport saves both your wallet and the environment. A combination of low cost and a small carbon footprint that is hard to beat. A third of all Flygbussarna coaches to Arlanda already run on a locally produced biofuel.
Teaching bus and coach drivers fuel efficient driving helps operators cut emissions.Nevertheless, the essential basis for efficient driving is a constant speed, and that is why bus priority measures have to be introduced beforehand.
Example: All 13 500 of Stagecoach’s bus and coach drivers will complete a course in fuel efficient driving.
The introduction of low-carbon vehicles supports the decrease of fuel consumption.Various low-carbon technologies include hybrid buses, lighter vehicles, hydrogen and electric buses and coaches.
Example: In the UK, the Green Bus Fund is a new GBP 30 million fund from which bus and coach companies and local authorities can compete for funds to help them purchase new low-carbon buses. Its main purpose is to support and hasten the introduction of hundreds of low-carbon buses across England.
// Usage of renewable energy and alternative fuels
Biodiesel, ethanol and biogas represent the main bio-fuels which are currently available. All three bio-fuels produce less CO2 emissions than traditional fuels.
Example: In the city of Graz the majority of biodiesel is produced by rapeseed oil, but nevertheless a considerable amount of used cooking oil is converted into biodiesel. Used cooking oil is collected from about 250 restaurants in Graz, benefiting the restaurants as well, through not paying the disposal fee. Furthermore, used cooking oil is also collected from households. The cooking oil is filtered and injected in the ordinary production line of biodiesel. Graz was able to collect 260 tonnes of used cooking oil in 2006, which was converted into enough biodiesel for the operation of 26 buses for the entire year. The city of Lille produces biogas from household waste, which is used to power 128 of the city’s bus fleet.
As lessons learnt during childhood often affect future habits, children taught and informed about sustainable transport at school are likely to use collective/public transport now and during their entire lives.
For more information:
Sustainable Urban Transport, Final report from the European project Trendsetter, p.40-41
// Tourists go ape for Krabi bus stops in Thailand
Tourists to Phuket's neighboring Krabi Province have been treated to a new two million baht network of bus stops that feature a striking monkey design. The project was launched at the request of the province’s Chamber of Commerce. The Krabi Transport Office therefore worked with the Chamber of Commerce to launch the bus-stop project. Local business people had complained that tourists were finding it difficult to catch local buses because there were no stops showing them where to wait, he said.
Of particular concern was the route between Ao Nang and Krabi Town, which is popular with foreign travellers. Many tourists had problems catching buses on the route, since they did not know when the buses would arrive – or even where they stopped.
The bus stops have been designed so that they look attractive and unique, as well as display all the information tourists need in both Thai and English.
One of the two designs used on six stops in the commercial area of Ao Nang Beach features sculptures of monkeys sitting down and strolling around. The designs were chosen so they would fit in with the lively atmosphere of the popular tourist resort, without ruining the view of the beach.
The new structures have generated a lot of interest from tourists, since the area has not had any bus stops until now, said Mr Worawut.
// Greener Journeys deliver: use the campaign toolkit and get the ball rolling!
Following the successful rollout of the national modal shift campaign - Sometimes you can’t beat the bus – in September 2010, Greener Journeys and the UK bus industry has made creative materials freely available to all bus operators and local authorities through an online toolkit.
Launched on 15 June, a web hub provides the various marketing and press adverts, along with radio executions used to support the campaign. It also contains proven materials for delivering modal shift from car to bus, guidelines and recommendations on creating and implementing regionally focused campaigns aimed at encouraging more sustainable travel.
Campaign assessment surveys looked at passenger trends and travel patterns, general awareness and attitude towards bus travel, buses and related brands, and the propensity for people to use and/or consider using buses as a real alternative to the car:
45% of people who saw the advertising campaign agreed that they are now “a lot more, or a bit more, likely to replace a car journey with a bus journey”
60% agreed that the bus ‘can be better for certain journeys’
64% believed that the campaign was “catchy” with 43% agreeing it was “persuasive”
Across all three pilot regions, radio combined with bus side advertising had the biggest effect on getting people to use or consider using the bus as an alternative to the car.
