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Survey results

Hello Halesowen!

Thank you for all your feedback so far on the Local Travel Point pilot. It’s been great to talk to local people about the plan and hear your views. Alongside the survey on Commonplace, we hosted a pop up in the Cornbow Shopping Centre, had an online drop in, visited some local exercise groups, and gathered comments from social media.

134 people participated in the survey, with 84% being from Halesowen. 59% of respondents are male, 41% are female, and 37% have a disability. People who use a range of different ways to get around the local area took part. 7 in 10 use their cars, 4 in 10 use buses, and 2 in 10 use bikes or other types of wheeling.

Here’s a snapshot of the survey results:

Graph showing what people think about the locations

Andrew road majority of people love or like it. Cross street majority of people like it. Huntingtree park majority of people love and like itGraph showing what people think about each Local Travel Point site

 graph showing sentiment towards the set of services at local travel points. 36% love them, 34% like them, 15% neutral, 7% dislike, 7% hate themGraph showing what people think about the set of services


You can read the comments online. All these results will help to shape the pilot over the coming year and the plan for Local Travel Points across the region.

What’s next?

We will start installing the Local Travel Points over the next couple of months. Starting with Huntingtree Park on 24th March.

This project is a pilot, so you will be hearing from me again after installation to find out how you are getting on with using them!

Want to get involved?

We are working with Ikon and local artist Tom Hicks to create a sculpture at the Cross Street site. Please check out the dates below to come on a photo walk and input into the design.

Workshop Dates:

Saturday 6 April, 11am–1pm 

Saturday 20 April, 11am–1pm

Workshops for young people:

Tom Hicks and Ikon Youth Programme invite local residents aged 16–21 to join their workshops

Wednesday 27 March, 11am–1pm– with Liz Berry  

Thursday 4 April, 11am–1pm

Please email education@ikon-gallery.org to register your interest and receive a booking form. Places will be confirmed by Ikon’s Education team via email.

 

All the best,

Lauren

Engagement Officer

 

Posted on 20th March 2024

by Lauren

Survey Closing 19th February

Hi,

There are just a few days left to have your say on the Local Travel Points survey. The survey is closing on Monday 19th February at midnight. After which, we will review all feedback to understand your views and refine the proposal.

Please make sure you verify your email address after you have completed the survey. So that we can use your feedback. 

Thank you to those that have given their feedback so far and joined one of our events. You are helping to shape our exciting pilot coming to Halesowen!

Many thanks,

Lauren

Engagement Officer, TfWM

Posted on 14th February 2024

by Lauren Hoyle

Online drop in session Wednesday 7th Feb at 17:30

Thank you for your responses to the survey so far, they are really helping us.

We're running a drop in session to answer your questions about the Local Travel Points pilot in Halesowen. The session will be on Microsoft Teams on Wednesday 7th February from 17:30 to 18:30.

Please sign up to attend via Eventbrite- book now

Don't forget you can also add your comments on the survey here

And check out our Frequently asked questions section here

We look forward to meeting those of you that can join us next week.

Thanks,

Lauren

Engagement Officer, WMCA

Posted on 31st January 2024

by Lauren Hoyle

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a Local Travel Point?

Local Travel Points bring together a range of community services in one, attractive place. You may have heard them called 'Mobility Hubs' in other areas of the Country and world. The idea is that we can make it easier to choose active and sustainable travel for local trips, and sometimes avoid needing to travel at all.

Potential services at your Local Travel Point:

  • help to travel actively, including bike hire, secure storage, and maps
  • local public transport information
  • services for local living, like parcel lockers and social space
  • by-the-hour car rental and EV charging points

    • 2. Why are you building them here?

    Halesowen was chosen because:

  • It is a vibrant regional centre, with significant housing and trip attractors.
  • The local bus network is strong, but there’s big potential to improve accessibility.
  • Shared transport is limited. A blank canvas is perfect to test this new intervention.

    • 3. Will the level of use justify the money spent on this?

    There are many studies that show when a mobility hub is introduced, they are being used. In Bremen their target was reached early after taking the equivalent of 6,000 cars off the road. In Austin walk trips increased by 25% after the introduction of a mobility hub. We are hoping that the Halesowen pilot will have similar success:

  • More trips by public transport
  • More vibrant local communities
  • More physical activity
  • Fewer trips by car
  • Less emissions from transport

    • 4. How will you deal with anti-social behaviour?

    Our team will monitor the pilot through CCTV, sensors, and a community reporting system.

    5. What about existing activity using the space in Huntingtree Park?

    We have been working closely with Dudley Council and Black Country Transport to identify these Local Travel Point locations. Huntingtree Park location was chosen because it presents an excellent opportunity to link Local Travel Points with exercise. We are in conversation with the parks activity activator and will be attending some sessions to gather feedback from participants and park users. The team is reviewing feedback and taking all comments into consideration.

    6. How will local residents and visitors benefit from Local Travel Points?

  • Convenience- they increase convenience of multi-modal trips. For example, you might walk to the Cross Street local travel point and pick up a cycle hire bike. You then cycle to Andrew Road Point and get on a bus from there into Birmingham City Centre.
  • Improve public realm- they create spaces for the benefit of pedestrians and cyclists. Creating green space and waiting areas.
  • Managing shared transport services- They help solve issues of “street clutter” from dockless/free floating services like hire bikes and scooters. They provide a natural home for EV charging infrastructure.
  • Improving safety- They can offer a safer and more comfortable wait time. Which will lead to improved access for more vulnerable users.

    • 7. Why aren’t you improving parking? / Why take away parking?

    Local Travel Points reclaim space for sustainable transport. In turn this reduces the dominance of the private car and its associated problems of congestion, carbon emissions, air quality and social exclusion.

    Converting space used only for private parking to green space, waiting areas and additional facilities makes for a better experience for the traveller, increasing patronage.

    8. How will we know how to use it?

    During construction, and when the Local Travel Points are in place, we will hold drop-in sessions. We will take you through how to use each of the components such as cycle hire and car club. This Commonplace website will be kept up to date with information and how to guides also.

    Posted on 19th December 2023

    by Lauren Hoyle

    Local Travel Points engagement launch

    Hello Halesowen!

    Welcome to the online home for the Local Travel Point pilot. Over the coming year we will be working with you to shape the pilot.

    My name’s Lauren, and I’m an engagement officer at the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). I am working with Transport for West Midlands, Dudley Council, and Black Country Transport. I’ll be out on the streets of Halesowen ahead of the launch and throughout 2024.

    The main change you’ll see on the streets is the introduction of three new green public spaces. These will have bike hire, car clubs, and services for local living. There’s also exciting plans for community art, pop-ups, and practical sessions to help us all get moving. Funds from the Department for Transport’s Future Transport Zone programme have been secured to run the pilot.

    We’ve launched a survey on the proposals. Your thoughts will be so valuable, and please do tell your friends, family, and colleagues!

    Have your say

    This is the first of a series of engagement activities. So expect to hear from us again as the Local Travel Point pilot takes shape in the coming months.

    All the best,

    Lauren

    Engagement Officer, WMCA

    Posted on 27th October 2023

    by Lauren Hoyle