TRAVELLING around south Warwickshire’s tourist hotspots is about to get smarter and greener.
Warwickshire County Council has joined forces with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Compton Verney and Shakespeare’s England to offer visitors and residents a free-to-use environmentally focused travel assistant service.
The service, accessed from Warwickshire Smart Travel Partnership organisation’s respective websites, is powered by ‘You. Smart. Thing.’, a travel demand management platform for destinations, venues, and events.
It offers visitors tailor-made, inclusive and sustainable travel routes for some of south Warwickshire’s most popular places of interest. The platform combines accessible, active public transport and driving routes, as well as exclusive parking options that aren’t available on Google maps.
Visitors making advanced bookings for events or performances at some of the Warwickshire Smart Travel Partnership venues will even be sent a personalised low-carbon travel plan in advance of their trip. Over time, the partnership aims to extend the service to incorporate the whole of Warwickshire.
WCC transport spokesperson Coun Jan Matecki said: “We’re delighted to announce the Warwickshire Smart Travel Partnership and with it a new travel assistance service which will change how residents and visitors can travel around our county.
“We want to encourage people to visit Warwickshire’s cultural and heritage venues and by being able to share with people personalised, sustainable travel routes, we’re giving people the chance to choose a mode of transport that best suits them whether that be walking, cycling, on our waterways or by using public transport.”
WCC climate spokesperson Coun Heather Timms added: ” Warwickshire has so much to offer its local residents and visitors from around the world, with our rich heritage venues, cultural and art offer and literary greats such as Shakespeare and Eliot.
“This collaborative approach by the Smart Travel Partnership allows us to push our cultural offer and stimulate our local economy without it being at the expense of our environment. And for many, the experience of active travel can be a component of the day, whether that be an enjoyable walk to a venue or removing the need to drive.”
