A new sustainable travel planning service will help residents to think greener and save money this May by getting active for National Walking and Cycling Month.

Inspiring people to make more of their journeys on foot or by bike is the aim of the Green Team at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council as it begins offering free tailored travel plans focused on environmentally friendly ways of getting around.

Residents who want to find a way to make their regular trips in more sustainable ways can now call or email the specialists, or talk to them at events including at their ‘drop ins’, for free journey planning advice. This is the latest initiative by the carbon-busting team, which already offers people free help to save money by using less energy to heat and power their homes and to encourage native wildlife in their gardens.

By helping residents to find convenient footpaths and cycleways for shorter journeys – and nearby bus routes for longer trips – the specialists aim to get people out of their cars to make the borough’s air cleaner and tackle the climate emergency.

And by taking to the streets of the borough instead of driving, people could save the money they would have spent on petrol or diesel while burning calories and improving their overall health and wellbeing too.

Cabinet Member for Climate and Ecological Emergency Cllr Chris Tomblin said: “The recent sunny weather makes this National Walking and Cycling Month an even better time to get active outside, with all its benefits including burning calories, saving money on fuel, improving your mental wellbeing and making the air we breathe much cleaner.

“Whether you want to rely less on the car or you don’t have one and need to get around in other ways, I encourage you to get in touch with our Green Team. By finding convenient footpaths and cycle ways near your home you may not know about and helping you plan longer journeys by train or bus, they can support you to travel in a way that’s kinder to your pocket and our planet.”

Through free advice and home visits, the council’s Green Team supports people to adopt more planet-friendly lifestyle habits that can save them money and nurture the borough’s native wildlife.

People can find out more about the Green Team and get in touch for their own tailored sustainable journey plan at www.basingstoke.gov.uk/green-team