Travel
Travel information
Walking & Running
Walking is a simple, easy and reliable form of sustainable travel. Not only is it free and environmentally friendly to undertake, it also provides a host of personal health benefits.
These benefits include increased energy, can help you feel and sleep better, reduce stress, blood pressure and cholesterol and keep your heart strong.
Remember – you do not have to walk for hours. The NHS recommendation is for 150 minutes of weekly exercise, a brisk 10-minute daily walk has lots of health benefits and contributes to your weekly exercise.
Heart and Sole - Image
Heart and Sole is a free scheme within Chelmsford, run as a partnership by Chelmsford City Council. This free scheme is ideal for those looking to improve their fitness, air recovery from or prevent illness or injury, and to socialise and enjoy the local environment.
You can sign up on the website www.chlemsford.gov.uk/heartandsole or call 01245 606569, which provides details of the walks, ranging from low intensity to high intensity, alongside the meeting location and times. The website also provides details of how to access the meeting point by bus or by cycle and provides details about the walk itself to make sure you’re dressed appropriately.
Useful apps
NHS Active 10 - https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/get-active/
Map My Walk - https://www.mapmywalk.com/
NHS Couch to 5k - https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/get-active/
Nike Run Club - https://www.nike.com/gb/nrc-app
Useful walking links
Living Streets https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/
Walking for Health https://www.walkingforhealth.org.uk/
British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/activity/walking/walking-groups/find-a-walking-group
Cycling
Cycling is a great way to travel within Chelmsford, with gentle gradient and a wealth of designated cycle paths. Incorporating cycling into everyday life will introduce physical activity and often its quicker and more convenient than other methods of transport.
You can reach the centre of Chelmsford within a 15 minute cycle journey, or alternatively Chelmsford railway station within 13 minutes. The railway station benefits from 960 cycle parking spaces which ensures a convenient parking space will be provided.
If you’re combining a journey with cycling and a rail journey, the PlusBike website (www.nationalrail.co.uk/PlusBike) or App (available on Apple and Android) provides free information for your journey including cycle facilities at stations, on rail cycle routes and reservations details where required.
Cycle map
To help you plan your journey, Essex Highways have produced a cycle map of the local area
https://www.essexhighways.org/uploads/files/chelmsford%20cycle%20map.pdf
Cycle training
Within Chelmsford there is a network of over 40 instructors that can help people of all ages to learn how to cycle or just to improve confidence getting back out on your bike. Further information is found at https://saferessexroads.org/road-users/cycling/
Local retailers
Map of sites could be produced which would link to various outlets including:
Giant Chelmsford www.giant-chelmsford.co.uk
Chelmer Cycles www.chelmercycles.co.uk
Cycle King www.cycleking.co.uk
Cycles UK www.cyclesuk.com
Evans Cycles www.evanscycles.com
Decathlon www.decathlon.co.uk
Useful cycling links
PlusBike www.nationalrail.co.uk/PlusBike
Sustrans https://www.sustrans.org.uk/
Cycling UK https://www.cyclinguk.org/
British Cycling Commuter Advise https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/commuting
Public Transport
There are a number of bus routes within Chelmsford, providing an excellent way of getting around, avoiding peak hour congestion and providing the added benefit of not having to find a car parking space at your destination.
In addition, the Chelmer Valley park and ride site is just a short drive away, offering free parking and regular bus services toward the centre of Chelmsford, with journey times of 20 minutes.
For longer journeys, train travel offers a realistic alternative to the car for longer distances, accessible via the local bus services, from the park and ride site or accessible within a 13 minute cycle journey.
If you’re combining a journey with cycling and a rail journey, the PlusBike website (www.nationalrail.co.uk/PlusBike) or App (available on Apple and Android) provides free information for your journey including cycle facilities at stations, on rail cycle routes and reservations details where required.
Plan your journey
Journey planning has been made easier with the new Travel Essex sustainable travel app, downloadable for Apple and Android.
https://www.essexhighways.org/getting-around/bus
Alternatively, Traveline can help plan your journey: https://www.traveline.info/
Download a timetable
Know which service you need? Download a timetable to ensure you don’t miss your bus.
https://www.firstbus.co.uk/essex
The service that runs through the Channels development, is the bus service number C10, with the timetable link below:
https://www.firstbus.co.uk/sites/default/files/public/maps/C10%20Chelmsford%20-%20Channels.pdf
Alternatively, if you’re already at your stop, text the bus stop code to 84268 to receive a message giving you the next five services calling at that stop.
Tickets and Discounts
There are a lot of ways to save money on journeys made by public transport, from weekly, monthly to annual bus tickets.
First Bus offers the option to purchase a wider range of tickets through the First Bus App, alternatively tickets can be bought on the bus.
For further information on the First Bus ticket options, please visit https://www.firstbus.co.uk/essex/tickets/ticket-prices/
Useful rail links
Live departures https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ldb.aspx
PlusBike www.nationalrail.co.uk/PlusBike
For train times, booking and more https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/default.aspx
Car Travel
It is widely understood that for a lot of journeys, the car is the most practical choice, however, there are still opportunities to save money and reduce the environmental impact.
Lift sharing is simply sharing your car journey with one or more people who are going in the same direction, with the average commuter saving over £1,000 per year by splitting fuel and parking costs.
Savings
Find out how much you can save using the Liftshare journey calculator https://liftshare.com/uk/savings-calculator
Car Clubs
Located on Victoria Road (Hill Court) is a Co-wheels car club vehicle which offers a quick and easy way to hire a car nearby. You only pay for what you need, with the benefits of insurance, a fuel card in the car, and your membership also extends over the whole Co-wheels network, which extends over 60 towns and cities across the county.
Further information can be found at https://www.co-wheels.org.uk/find-car?location=chelmsford
Electric Vehicles
There’s never been a better time to think electric. The benefits include cost savings with comparison to petrol or diesel, reduced maintenance or servicing costs, not withstanding the environmental benefit too.
Government grants are also available to encourage you to make the switch including
- 35% off the cost of a car, up to a maximum of £2,500 or £4,500 depending on the model
- 20% off the cost of a van, up to a maximum of £8,000
There is also the EV chargepoint grant which provides funding of up to 75% towards the cost of installing electric vehicle smart chargepoints at domestic properties across the UK. Further information can be found on the Government website https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-grants-for-low-emission-vehicles#ev-chargepoint-grant
Chelmsford benefits from a number of charging points for electric vehicles, with locations identified on the ZapMap website.
This website is a useful tool with information on driving and owning vehicles, as well as the UK-wide map finding the various charging locations.
