Work of Midlothian active travel team is recognised

Midlothian Council's Active Travel team has picked up a national award for excellence in travel information and marketing at the recent Scottish Transport Awards.
Members of the Active Travel team at Midlothian Council are pictured with their award for excellence in travel information and marketing. (L to R) Gillian Bathgate (School Travel Plan Co-ordinator) Bogdan Handrea (Sustainable Travel Officer) Lindsay Haddow (Policy Planning Manager) Stephen MacPhail (GIS Technician)Members of the Active Travel team at Midlothian Council are pictured with their award for excellence in travel information and marketing. (L to R) Gillian Bathgate (School Travel Plan Co-ordinator) Bogdan Handrea (Sustainable Travel Officer) Lindsay Haddow (Policy Planning Manager) Stephen MacPhail (GIS Technician)
Members of the Active Travel team at Midlothian Council are pictured with their award for excellence in travel information and marketing. (L to R) Gillian Bathgate (School Travel Plan Co-ordinator) Bogdan Handrea (Sustainable Travel Officer) Lindsay Haddow (Policy Planning Manager) Stephen MacPhail (GIS Technician)

Work by the team commended by award judges included installing interactive, touch screen consoles with information about walking, cycling and public transport, at each of the four new Borders Railway stations in the county.

The touch screen consoles are one of a number of events and initiatives promoted by Bogdan Handrea, Midlothian Council’s Active Travel Officer, as part of the Out and About project which aims to encourage sustainable travel in the county.

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Other promotional work undertaken by the project included the creation of a number of new cycling and walking route maps which are available online and in libraries and other council buildings across the county.

The project has also seen a number of events held including led walks and cycles as well as work with local charity, the Gorebridge Community Development Trust on the Big Bike Revival in October 2016.

Councillor John Hackett, cabinet member for Commercial Operations, said: “Huge congratulations to Bogdan and the Active Travel team on their success at the Scottish Transport Awards.

“Their innovative approaches, such as the installation of interactive consoles at the four Borders Railways stations and the production of new walking and cycling route maps, have really encouraged many to get out and about in the county over the past year.

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“It is really great to see the team get the recognition they deserve on a national level – congratulations to all once again.”

A survey in January 2016 and a follow-up survey in February 2017 found that cycling from the stations increased by 4.39 per cent at Eskbank Station, 2.9 per cent at Newtongrange and 5.8 per cent at Gorebridge station. There was also an overall decline in car use at Eskbank and Newtongrange railway stations.