2022 Objectives
- Both Councils should review the recommendation for approaching this area in the Friends of the Earth report “How do local authorities get people out of their cars?”[1] and develop an overarching vision for the area with local communities based on the 27 proposed actions, communicating this (including the reasons why, to all residents). In the absence of this commitment, the following are key priorities for Dorset identified during the development of this report.
- Councils, public sector bodies and businesses to enable, where possible, all staff to work from home for at least 2 days per week; aiming to reduce commuting miles across the county by at least 40%.
- Dorset Council to deliver on its commitment to “Work with Dorset Business Travel Network & Digital Dorset to promote use of ICT to individuals and businesses to avoid travel & encourage working from home”.
- Set a target of 70% of people commuting by public transport, cycling and walking by 2030. Produce a comprehensive, integrated plan that reflects this ambition and engage experts and the wider community to look at how this can be achieved in each area. Consider all options including disused rail lines, tramways and coastal travel. Ensure local employers are aligned by implementing policies that encourage home working, lift sharing, public transport or active travel.
- Explore options to initiate Council-owned free public transport services where the market is incapable of delivering appropriately funded routes.
- Commission a county-wide plan to develop a comprehensive segregated cycle lane network within and between towns. Involve residents and experts on developing cycle routes in the planning stage.
- Develop the infrastructure required to support a 100% transition to electric vehicles.
- Develop a Dorset 2030 Plan for Tourism that has sustainability at its core and includes plans for a significant, targeted reduction of car use through alternative provision.
- Work with local communities to create 20 ‘Play Streets’ across the county and identify opportunities for car-free days, ideally aligning major Dorset-wide events with the global car-free day held in September each year, while developing local once a week / month car-free street plans.
- Establish licensing provision that supports the move to electric vehicles for taxi and delivery fleets and provide support for local zero-carbon distribution schemes; ensuring the costs of transition are not prohibitive for the self-employed and local businesses.