Slough Borough Council – Boosting Active Travel

During the first lockdown Slough Borough Council introduced an experimental bus and cycle lane running the length of the town’s main arterial road to help residents to socially distance during the pandemic, as well as making road space available for active and sustainable travel. 

The initial impact of the lane was to boost the number of residents completing their journeys via bicycle, and its reduction on traffic congestion was further enhanced when the town successful implemented an E-Scooter pilot which to date has seen 24,000 individual users complete over 48,000 journeys. 

Residents had often told councillors that the increasing cost of public transport was the key blocker to stopping them leaving their cars at home for short journeys, and during the second lockdown the council took action to remove this blocker. 

The council introduced a free electric bus service running the length of the experimental bus and cycle lane to offer residents a free, fast and environmentally friendly bus service running to and from the town centre – the impact of this measure has contributed to record and sustained improvements in air quality along the route alongside reductions in journey time and improved bus punctuality – making public transport more reliable and therefore appealing to residents.