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TravelSmart Programs

In January 2001 the City of Fremantle appointed a TravelSmart Officer. The TravelSmart officer’s main aim is to promote the reduced use of cars in Fremantle, raising awareness of car culture and usage impacts. The TravelSmart Action Plan (HOTLINK: http://www.freofocus.com/council/resource/Travelsmart_Plan.pdf) outlines the actions and programs to be implemented at the community level.

The TravelSmart program is divided into three campaign areas:

  • TravelSmart to School
  • TravelSmart Workpalce
  • TravelSmart Household Program

TravelSmart to School

The TravelSmart to School Program is delivered by Millennium Kids here in Fremantle. The program is designed for primary and secondary schools and runs for school term with activities that promote alternative modes of travel to and from school. The City of Fremantle and schools within Fremantle have actively participated in this program.

Several Walking School Buses have been established in Fremantle with the help from the Department of Planning and Infrastructure. Participating schools include:

  • White Gum Valley Primary School
  • East Fremantle Primary School
  • Fremantle Primary School

Walking School Bus

Walking School Bus

The TravelSmart to Schools program and the Walking School Buses have great spin-off benefits by reducing car-dependent travel to and from school and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by using alternative modes of travel.  It is hoped that more Walking School Buses will be established for other Fremantle schools and the TravelSmart to Schools program is rolled out and made available to all schools in Fremantle.

TravelSmart Workplace

The City of Fremantle has an adopted Green Transport Plan which is progressively being implemented.  Priority actions to be addressed over the coming year (2005-2006) include:

  • Establishing better ‘end-of-trip facilities’ for cyclists (and potential cyclists) for the City of Fremantle Administration Building.  An area in Queensgate has been dedicated for bike storage however, there is a need to increase security by installing an automatic door closer, install lockers for cycling gear and a repaint the room.
  •  Purchasing ‘SmartCards’ (when available) to offer new staff members at their inductions providing them with a free “week of public transport”.  It is hoped that by encouraging them to take the train or bus in their first week, this behaviour will continue.
  • Providing ironing facilities for cyclists.
  • Purchasing personal security alarms for staff to loan from the S&I counter for night-time walks to bus stops and umbrellas to loan for wet weather walking.
  • More staff bikes and/or a scooter.

The City of Fremantle TravelSmart Officer also works with major employers (such as Fremantle Hospital and the University of Notre Dame) to promote green transport in those organisations.

Fremantle Hospital has developed a Green Transport Plan with the assistance from Department of Planning and Infrastructure, Department of Environment and the City of Fremantle.  The Green Transport Plan outlines a series of measures that when implemented will increase the use of alternative modes of travel to and from the hospital by staff.

Whilst not an official member of the TravelSmart to the Workplace program, the University of Notre Dame with the City of Fremantle have implemented a range of TravelSmart activities to reduce the impact of car travel in the west-end by students.  These activities include:

  • shared cost of printing of the ‘Access and Facilities Guides’ (now called a ‘TravelSmart Guide’) for the City of Fremantle to help students get to and from the campus using alternative modes of travel;
  • installation of end-of trip facilities for cyclists around the campus; and
  • holding a “Campus Car Free Breakfast”.

TravelSmart Household Program

The TravelSmart Household Program was delivered to the majority of Fremantle households in early 2003.  Interested residents were encouraged to change some car based trips to environmentally friendly modes of travel and were provided with information to assist them in doing this.  The extent of travel behaviour change was calculated by comparing the results of before and after travel surveys conducted in 2001 and in 2004 respectively.  These surveys showed that the TravelSmart household program reduced car as driver trips by 12%, increased the use of environmentally friendly modes by 22% and reduced the distance travelled by car by 14%.

In addition, 1.2 million car trips have been saved, 11 million vehicle kilometres travelled saved and 3,300 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions have been saved.