Electric Transport
Most visitors to the National Park arrive by car. The National Park Authority is keen to support and provide alternative transport options to visitors, enabling them to access and enjoy the National Park in a more sustainable manner and by doing so, will hopefully lessen traffic, enhance the sense of tranquillity and reduce carbon emissions.
The Nissan Leaf
The early positioning of electronic car charging points in the iconic Hadrian’s Wall area of the National Park will create an extremely high profile / eye-catching opportunity for the regional initiative and reassure electric cars users that rural areas can be accessed for leisure and business.
The National Park Authority helped set up and still supports the award-winning Hadrian’s Wall Bus service operating between Newcastle and Carlisle and carries more than 33,000 passengers a year. The service integrates with other bus services, local rail services and the Hadrian’s Cycleway to provide a viable alternative to using the private car to access the countryside.
Public transport initiatives include continued support of the Hadrian’s Wall bus as well as further partnership working with the Tyne Valley Community Rail Partnership who are actively promoting access to the Park and better transport links via public information panels located at stations along the Newcastle to Carlisle railway. Associated with the low carbon transport theme the Authority has also identified an opportunity to improve accessibility of the Park.
Looking forward, the Authority is keen to promote the use of electric cars and bicycles, identifying the fact that they are not just for city use but can be used to explore the protected landscapes. No longer does driving have to be seen to be detrimental to the environment. In order to achieve this it is proposed that the necessary recharging infrastructure is rolled out across the Park, initially along Hadrian’s Wall (phase 1) and then further afield to Rothbury and Wooler (phase 2). Supported with a marketing campaign and possible parking/charging incentives the Authority believes that such a scheme would be an important piece of the “electric car jigsaw” that Lord Adonis referred to at the launch of the north east’s electric car charging network in October 2009.
Electric and plug-in hybrid cars are a vital part of the UK’s low-carbon strategy. All the major car manufacturers have serious plans to develop these cars.
This is no longer an aspiration – it will soon be a reality. In October 2009 the Committee on Climate Change recommended that the UK needs two million electric cars on the road by 2020 to meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets. According to a study for the Department for Transport, widespread adoption of electric vehicles capable of a range of 50km (31 miles) or more could cut road transport carbon emissions in half. All-terrain off-road electric buggy such as a Tramper™ could be made available for hire at specific sites within the Park to enable those with a physical disability to go off-road and feel more independent and adventurous.
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