There has been an increase in pedal power in Darlington
|
People in Darlington are increasingly leaving the car behind and opting for walking or cycling, according to a council survey.
As part of the town's "local motion" scheme, advisors met residents in some areas to assess transport habits and discuss what changes could be made.
A later survey found that car journeys in those areas had fallen by 11.5%.
It also revealed a 24% increase in journeys by foot, and a 79% rise in cycling trips.
Cut congestion
The survey showed that in those areas not visited by travel advisors, car use had fallen by 6.6%, walking by 8.3% and cycling by 54%.
Local motion was set up last year after Darlington Council became one of three in the country to secure £3.24m in Government funding.
The town is also one of only six Cycling Demonstration Towns and was awarded £1.5m for a series of initiatives helping cyclists.
Nick Wallis, Darlington Council's cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "Many residents have been using alternative forms of transport and this will be beneficial not only to our on-going efforts to tackle traffic congestion, but also to the environment."