Ayr College students urged to get smart with their travel plans

Apr 1 2011 by Stuart Wilson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

STUDENTS have been urged to ditch their cars and get smart with their travel plans.

Desperate Ayr College chiefs hope the green option will stop motor mayhem erupting around their campus.

And students are being urged to use public transport or car-share in a bid to ease congestion in streets surrounding the college.

A Travel Smarter roadshow, which aimed to promote the idea of leaving the car at home, was targeted at both staff and students.

The message was clear: save money, improve your health and help protect the environment.

It follows a row between the college and nearby residents, who claim students are descending on their streets in huge numbers during the day.

Duncan Baird, director of estates at the college, insisted: “Ayr College is committed to promoting the use of sustainable travel.

“We want to ensure that our staff, students and visitors have a number of travel options and are not reliant on the car for getting here.

“Everyone needs to start thinking about how they could alter their travel behaviour, even if it’s only once a week.

“A small change by everyone can have a big impact on the environment.”

The 300 visitors to the event received information, maps and travel advice on walking, cycling and public transport.

Councillors and residents from Content Avenue and Fotheringham Road also attended to hear how the college plans to actively encourage staff and students to consider alternative travel reducing the number of cars coming into college.

Advice came from public transport companies such as SPT and Stagecoach in a bid to convince staff and students that cars weren’t the only mode of transport.

The Post told earlier this year how residents were up in arms at an overspill of college students into the streets.

The rear car park at the college, which is currently out of commission, has caused car users to hunt elsewhere for parking spots.

A website to encourage journey sharing has now been launched at www.ayrcollegejourneyshare.com