Plymouth City Council has launched a consultation on ambitious plans to install a network of Journey Hubs, designed to make travelling around the city cleaner and greener.
To help curb emissions and encourage residents and visitors to use low carbon modes of transport, the council aims to install up to 50 Journey Hubs across Plymouth by 2023. Each hub will provide electric vehicle (EV) charging points, e-bikes, an EV car club and links to public transport.
The scheme also includes plans for the UK’s first sea-going electric ferry.
As part of the consultation, the council wants to ask residents, businesses and commuters how they would use Journey Hubs, what features they should offer and where people think they should be located throughout Plymouth.
The council plans to install smaller hubs in residential areas and larger hubs offering more features in the city centre and main railway station.
The network of hubs will provide 300 EV charging points, 400 e-bikes and a car club, all operated through a smart booking system.
The hubs can also incorporate additional facilities such as live information boards for bus and train times, bike repair equipment and waiting areas. Local residents, employees, businesses and visitors will be able to use the hubs to plan their journeys on public and shared transportation, both in the city and on the main routes into Devon and Cornwall.
Cllr Mark Coker, Plymouth City Council Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure said:
“Plymouth has already declared a Climate Emergency and is committed to being net zero carbon by 2030 so we need encourage everyone to travel around the city in cleaner and greener ways.
“Creating the new journey hubs ticks off yet another action in our Climate Emergency Action Plan.
“Our hubs have the potential to revolutionise how we travel, offering the chance to ditch polluting petrol cars and use more sustainable, low carbon electric vehicles and e-bikes, available to hire through a smart booking system.
“We want feedback on our exciting plans and need your help in deciding what features our network of hubs should offer and where around the city they should be located to encourage maximum take-up.”
Further information on the council’s Journey Hub plans including a short video and how to respond to our consultation can be found at: www.plymouth-consult.objective.co.uk/portal/climateandenvironment/mobilityhubssurvey2021
