Transport
We aim to reduce the amount of energy consumed by transport, particularly the daily commute to school or work, and shopping errands.
Higher oil prices will eventually do the job for us, but we aim to help Macc residents adapt early.
The Secretary of our Transport Group is Tom Reader, who can be contacted on thomasreader@hotmail.com
Our next Transport group meeting is on Tuesday 29th May, 19:30 – 21:30 at The Park Tavern, Park Lane, Macclesfield, SK11 6UB.
Unapproved Minutes of Last Meeting
Car Driving
We would like to see short car journeys replaced with walking, cycling, or bus use, and higher occupancy in cars - by car sharing or lift sharing.
If your car does 30mpg, at £1.40 a litre, it costs 21p per mile in fuel alone.
Fuel prices have gone up 40% since March 2009.
Spain has just lowered its national speed limit to 65mph to save fuel.
How Does Heavy Braking Waste Fuel?
The answer is not that braking itself uses petrol, but by implication, if you had lifted off the accelerator earlier you wouldn't have to use the brakes so hard. The trick is to look further ahead down the road and lift off early so that you use the brakes less.
This AA guide offers very concise guidance on driving economically.
Did you know to change up at 2500rpm in a petrol car and 2000rpm in a diesel? 
Hypermiler.co.uk is a site devoted to economical driving techniques. Sunday Times Article 20th March 2011
Green-Car-Guide.com aims to provide information to consumers about the latest green cars, and focuses on cars that are best in class in terms of emissions, fuel economy and efficiency, but that are also great to drive.
What Car? are contending that Government fuel economy figures are misleading
and offer their own figures on their
True MPG site
Car Lift Sharing
Macclesfield appears to have representation in these lift sharing groups
Ashton Hayes near Chester has joined Common Wheels car sharing scheme with a Nissan Leaf that they charge up from a PV system on the roof of their sports field pavilion. more
Online car share websites claim to save members typically £800 per year.
Public Transport
Download the Feb 2011 Bus route map. Remember you can zoom in a long way.
Unfortunately, this map has not been updated recently. Most services are unchanged,
but 108 service from Macc to Stockport has been withdrawn and the Arriva 21’s have a new variation 21B.
When's the next bus from here?
NextBuses is a mobile internet service which makes it possible to find bus times on your mobile internet enabled phone.
You can select a bus stop close to where you are in Scotland, England or Wales and for that bus stop find the next bus times. Scheduled bus times are shown if LIVE information is unavailable.
Normal data charges from your mobile phone operator apply. Speed and access to the service is subject to your network connection. more
There is also and App for iPhone and Android smartphones called MyBus that uses GPS to identify appropriate bus routes and timetables for you.
More Android Apps more iPhone Apps
What is the best way to travel from A to B?
Enter the postcodes of your starting point and destination on the Transport Direct website, and it will show you several options - by car, bus, train, cycling etc. comparing journey times for you.
See sample
Public Transport Maps and Timetables from Cheshire East
Read how Bournemoth's Yellow Bus company increased useage by 55% and moved into profit using simple measures such as re-numbering bus routes. more
Cycling
Save up to 42% on the cost of a new bike and equipment with the Government sponsored Bike to Work Scheme.
Macclesfield has a thriving Cycling Club in Macclesfield Wheelers .
The Cre8 youth project operates a bike repair workshop
There are three independent bike shops besides Halfords:-
- Bikes, 80 Park Lane, SK11 6UA, Tel: 01625 611375
- Macclesfield Cycles, 10 Chester Rd, SK11 8DG, Tel: 01625 433247
- Peak Cyclesport on Pickford Street, SK11 6JQ, Tel: 01625 426333
see also Cheshire East's cycling pages
Bicycle use for community building
Sustrans are promoting their Free range Kids Scheme
to encourage Walking and Cycling.
See letter from David Rutley
Walking
The Ramblers Association do more than encourage recreational walking.
They support urban walking too with their
Get Walking: Keep Walking campaign.
Home Zones
Striking a balance between vehicular traffic and everyone else who uses a street, the pedestrians, cyclists is a subject promoted by the Home Zones Scheme.
What does the Council offer?
The Cheshire East website has a whole section devoted to Transport with useful sub-sections devoted to Car parking, Highways, Cycling, Public Transport, and School and College Transport. More.