Essex: Car comes last in transport race

12.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 22nd Sep 2006

Bus, cycling, walking, driving - the finishing order in a race today

Driving cars is the slowest form of transport if you are trying to get around town in Essex, according to a transport race staged today (22 September) to support 'In Town Without My Car' day. The event was triggered by Liberal Democrat county councillor Keith Francis, boarding a bus in Chelmsford. The race was then on for a cyclist, a pedestrian and a car to compete with the bus to see who would be first to get to the steps of county hall in Chelmsford's town centre.

The bus arrived first, less than a minute in front of the cyclist, followed by the pedestrian in third place with the car trailing in last.

Cllr Keith Francis said: "This test underlies the fact that if the right facilities are provided for alternative forms of transport, they are a more effective and efficient way of getting around and crucially, they create less damaging CO2 emissions. More investment in buses, cycle paths and footpaths will create a congestion free and greener Essex."

The contest was staged by the Chelmsford Cycling Action Group who invited Cllr Francis to join their members for this event.

ENDS