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Led by: Yorkshire Dales National Park AuthorityContact: Andy RylandTel. +44 (0)1756 752 748email Andy.ryland@yorkshiredales.org.uk
IntroductionA real partnership with cooperation of local, regional and national organisations are developing a programme of proactive measures based on an integrated marketing strategy. This work builds on initiatives developed in Target 1 and addresses urban-rural car dependency; social inclusion - experiences to the countryside; health benefits for walking and cycling; and support of the rural economy by promoting public transport based short breaks.
These aims are acheived by increased patronage using public transport, developing through ticketing for cross-boundary journeys, and a diverse programme of marketing campaigns aimed at the target audiences of current car users, young people and socially excluded groups.
The Countryside Agency is co-funding some of these projects.
ACTIVITY UPDATES:-Target 2 Activities in the Dales Recognised in Government Guides, August 2005Two out of three new transport projects in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, co-funded though the EU Traget 2 project, have been praised in Government guides for thier good practice:-1. 'Making Campaigning for Smarter Choises Work', a Department for Transport (DfT) guide, highlights the Dales Bus Discount Scheme. This scheme boosts both tourism and local businesses by providing discounts at a variety of outlets to visitors using public transport in the region. The initiative was praised for its work in promoting sustainable travel and links with local business.2. Preliminary work to encourage cycling as part of a sustainable tourism solution in The Dales was develped in Target 2. And has led to the production of high quality walking and cycling mapping created by Harvey Maps. The guide praised Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority for its work involving a private sector partner's external funding.
Unlocking the Potential, Delivering Sustainable Tourism Through Cycling in the Yorkshire Dales, July 2005The Yorkshire Dales National park Authority have produced a report to promote cycling as a viable tourist attraction in the Yorkshire dales. The Title of the report is "Unlocking The Potential, Delivering Sustainable tourism Through Cycling in the Yorkshire Dales.
Target and Sustrans both act as the commissioning body for the report. The report has been researched and written by Andrew miles, Julie Tait, rupert Douglas and Andy Cope on behalf of Sustrans Cumbria.
The goal of the report is to establish the Dales as a prime destination for cycling visitors, in which leisure cycling becomes a viable, alternative means of exploring and enjoying the area's unique natural and cultural landscape and the special qualities of the National Park.
There are three main product areas which define the types of cycle tourism activity that people engage with and tend to associate themselves with: cycle touring , mountain biking and local ( area based) leisure cycling.
The key proirity developments to be addressed through the report are :-
Maximising the untapped potential of the Yorkshire Dales Cycleway as the area's flagship routes - so that it attractes new cycle touring visitors, encourages repeart visits , offers a taste of the dales to those who stay locally, and provides a leisure resource for residents.
Cycle tourism Gateways and Hubs- area based, high quality centres catering for the multi-layered needs of differant kinds of cyclists ( but especially familiesc and mountain bikers) and aiming to maximise sustainability with Gateways feeding Hubs supported by public transport and hire facilities.
Malham 808 Service, June 2005Its great to get positive feed back for all the work we are trying to do as part of Target. Below is a letter from someone who used the Yorkshire Dales bus, I think the letter speaks for itself:-
Dear Sir/Madam
On bank holiday Monday myself and my family went to Malham to spend the day and see the sights. We decided to go to Malham Tarn using the 808 service leaving form Malham.
Too often we are very quick to criticise a service, but less quick to praise. We collected the bus in Malham at 2.30pm (With the bus being right on time). We then had the pleasure of being driven up to the Tarnby by your driver, who made the journey a wonderful and interesting experience by giving a local history talk all the way up to the Tarn. Having been up to the Tarn we then had the equally interesting experience of being driven back down to Malham (by the same driver)again with a local history running commentary on the way down.
It was the first time members of my family had been to the YorkshireDales and I know they commented on the friendly nature of your driver,and the fascinating facts he gave along the way.
Please pass on our compliments to your driver, especially for being so happy to work on a bank holiday Monday! (Sorry we didn't get his name)and well done for an excellent service. We will definitely be using it again.
Yours faithfully.
Kevin and Claire Nurse (Hednesford. Staffordshire)
Barry and Barbara Nurse (Ipswich. Suffolk)
John and Elaine Coates (Ilkley Yorkshire)
If you haven't used the Dales Bus to visit the Yorkshire Dales then what more advertising do you need than this letter. Come on and get yourself there.
Welldone everybody
The Dales Bike Bus is Back, June 2005The Dales Bike Bus has made a welcome return for the 2005 summer season, set up to encourage more people to use pedal power in the beautiful countryside.
The Sunday service is now in its fourth year of operations. As a core part of the Dales Bus Network giving people the chance to travel by bus to the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
Both cyclists and non cyclists can use the Bike Bus, paying their fare and an extra £1 a day to load their bikes onto a special trailer attached to the vehicle.
Andy Ryland, Transport and Visitor Management Officer for the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, said:" The Dales bike bus is a great way for people to get out into beautiful countryside leaving their cars behind and using public transport.
" From statistics and feedback last year, we found that people like taking the bus out to differant parts of the dales and then either cycling all the way home or some of the way before catching it to complete their journey.
" The Bus seems especially popular with people who have made cycling part of their lives - people who perhaps commute to work or who have bought a bike and sold their car."
The service will be using a new trailer that has improved loading and securing mechanisms specially imported from the united states.
The Bus Leaves Leeds Station at 10.05am and will call at leeds University steps at 10.13am, the Arndale centre in Headingley at 10.20am, Otley 10.40am, Ilkley at 11am, Bolton Abbey 11.23 am and Grassington at 11.55am before arriving at Kettlewell at 12.22pm.
Return Journeys depart Grassington at 2.30pm for Ilkley and 5.15pm for Ilkley, Otley and Leeds.
A leaflet giving information about the service is available from travel centres or national Park Centres. Anyone who wants a copy can ring the Grassington National Park centre on 01756 752774 for one to be sent out.
Winter Walks and Events - It pays to advertise!, January 2005By providing information leaflets,Target 2 is supporting one of the main leisure/ rural bus services in the Yorkshire Dales. The threatened 805 winter service has been saved through the interesting partnership of Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, Yorkshire Dales Public Transport Users Group, Metro, Reliance of York bus operator with Target 2 providing marketing funds.
In the first two months of operation the average loadings on the service have been 50% up on last year. The Users Group were able to promote their guided walks in the leaflet, and have reported an encouraging success with at least 20 people participating for each walk so far. See Related Links for a full report - 'On Target to promote winter walking'.
Next Step for Outreach Work, December 2004Helping socially excluded groups and communities who tradionally had not visited the countryside or been to the Yorkshire Dales, has been an important part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority's work within the Target 2 project. To date this has mainly involved organising 'taster walking days' for various groups from urban areas to the National Park for an escorted guided walk. All costs, including travel by public transport where possible, have been met by Target or the successful Sustainable Development Fund funding.
These have proved to be a great success, so much so that the YDNPA are supporting and developing futher visits. The Park's Outreach Officer and newly appointed Outreach Volunteer Co-ordinator, have finalised a structure and information booklet for groups and group leaders. Since the main cost invloved with these events is project officer time, an efficient and tested process that minimises organisational time, has enabled the taster days to continue within the mainstream work of the National Park.
Dales Bus Discount Scheme, October 2004A fantastic new discount scheme has been launched across the Yorkshire Dales National Park. By showing a valid bus or train ticket at participating businesses, visitors and residents can enjoy a variety of discounts at cafes, shops, museums or for accommodation. The businesses are easily identified by the green stickers displayed in their window, saying... 'Dales Bus - Discount avilable here'.
The scheme benefits everyone: customers have a variety of discounts on offer; businesses are provided with free advertising listings on the Travel Dales web site; and public transport operators can attract increased patronage. And by encouraging people to travel on public transport and reduce the number of car journeys in the Yorkshire Dales, the environment remains protected too.
Listings of businesses and their discount offers can be found on www.traveldales.org.uk
Bus vouchers for school children, September 2004School children from four schools in Keighley, one of the West Yorkshire conurbations close to the National Park, have recently visited Malham in the Yorkshire Dales on educational trips. Back in the classroom, they were given bus vouchers to encourage them to return to the Dales with their parents.
The vouchers offer .... 'one adult travels free with every child ticket purchased'. The offer applies to the hourly Sunday bus service, run by Keighley and District, from Keighley to Grassington - the hub of the Yorkshire Dales. Hopefully this incentive, along with the kids enthusiasm from their trip to Malham will bring many new famillies to the countryside using public transport.
Short breaks in The Dales, August 2004 updateTwo private companies, Special Places Tours and Country Lanes, who previously won contracts to develop short 'green' breaks in the Yorkshire Dales using Target funding, have taken the step forward.
Special Places Tours launched their web site www.specialplacestours.co.uk this month. It features three short walking breaks in the Dales, all of which are accessible by public transport. To make your break even easier, the company can book all the public transport from the customer's home right through to their destination in the Dales. Giving visitors the real choice of a car-free holiday.
Country Lanes www.countrylanes.co.uk is continuing to develop plans for a walking and cycling tourism centre near to the railway station in Settle. The centre will provide day trips, short breaks and longer tours together with cycle hire and repairs. 'Settle is the gateway to the Dales' says company owner Susan Achmatowicz, 'the location next to the renowned Settle-Carlisle railway line is perfect to persuade visitors to leave their cars behind'.
Short breaks are a growing trend across Europe. It is a growing area that makes sustainable transport an easy option for door-to-door services, and therefore reducing the reliance on car use.
MalhamTarn Shuttle Bus Commentary System, August 2004The Malham Tarn Shuttle Bus, first run during summer 2003 and was publicized using EU-Target funding. This year the bus, run by Jackson's of Silsden, has now been equipped with a state-of-the-art high-tech commentary system, as it travels the popular circular route from Malham village to Malham Tarn.
A global positioning system (GPS) tracks the bus position and on reaching certain points activates a commentary from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority's Interpretation Officer. The system means that bus users gain the added bonas of learning about the surrounding area, including the famous limestone pavement, Malham Cove and Malham Tarn.See Related Links for 'Malham Bus Commentary System', the high-tech news release.
New web site launched www.traveldales.org.uk , April 2004A new section of the National Park Authority web site has been developed through EU Target funding. Reached directly through www.traveldales.org.uk it contains a wealth of information about different forms of sustainable travel to and inside the Yorkshire Dales. Getting to the Yorkshire Dales National Park by public transport and using sustainable means once there, could not be easier. The web site incoporates several other aspects of the Target 2 projects including cycling initiatives and routes, short term breaks, bike bus and links with the regional Journey Planner.
Marketing strategy and workshop, January 2004A facilitator was commissioned to host a number of seminars with the Yorkshire and Humber project partners to steer the development of a marketing strategy.
The workshop develped ideas on advertising campaigns for target groups, inovative approaches to promoting public transport and giving the customer what they want.
Public Transport Passenger Survey 2, 2003Again the YDPTUG volunteers have been busy distributing survey questionaires. The questionaire is the second survey undertaken through the Target project. Survey data indicated two interesting changes form 2002:- 1. an increase in the number of passengers from the previous year even though more people had access to a car. 2. although the main user group remainded 60+ age group, there was an encouraging 16% increase in the 45-60 year old category.See related links Passenger Survey report, for a full report.
Taster Days for young peaple and socially excluded groups.Yorkshire Dales 'Taster Days', March/September 2003As part of its commitment to social inclusion and car-free visits to the Yorkshire Dales from the West Yorkshire conurbations, the Target 2 Transport and Leisure group has organised a series of 'taster days' to the Yorkshire Dales National Park for various ethnic and socially excluded communities.
The groups are assisted with using public transport, provided with basic outdoors advice and promotional literature for further suggested visits. It is very early days, but already a few people have built up a confidence to venture to the National Park using public transport without volunteer assistance. Mark Allum, Target Project Officer, escorted some of the visits and recalls one Asian gentleman saying.. ' He had lived in Bradford for 40 years and did not know that the Yorkshire Dales existed, and how it reminded him of his own country'. See 'Taster Days' report.
Cycling and walking initiatives.Cycle Bus, Summer 2002The Project partners were involved in the support of the ‘Bike Bus’ project. This involved a bus towing a trailer on which cycles could be carried. Running from Wakefield through Leeds and Bradford to Grassington it offered up to 24 cyclists the opportunity to bus ride into the heart of the Yorkshire Dales and begin their cycle journey from within the National Park.
Prize Draw, August 2002A simple questionnaire in the form of a postcard was distributed among passengers on bus services traveling into the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Designed and developed by members of the Voluntary Ranger Service, it forms a baseline of information about people who currently use the Dales bus services. This will help to analyse and measure future strategies. A free prize draw for a weekend away in a local bed and breakfast, was the extra incentive for returning the freepost postcard. The lucky lady who won said ‘it was the best prize she had ever won and was looking forward to her weekend in the Dales’
Promotional Activities. Throughout the summer of 2002 members of the Yorkshire Dales Public Transport Users Group have manned promotional display stands at Leeds, Bradford and Keighley bus stations to distribute information about access to the Dales.