The sustainable travel centres deliver a range of measures that encourage people to consider using alternatives to the car – such as walking, cycling and public transport.

Following the success of the first sustainable travel centre in Cardiff - with its free cycle hire, improved public transport and new walking and cycling routes - a further four centres have been developed across Wales in Mon a Menai, Aberystwyth, Haverfordwest and Carmarthen.

The £6million funding for 2011/12 will be allocated as follows:

• Cardiff £1.7m
• Mon a Menai £1m
• Haverfordwest £0.5m
• Carmarthen £0.5m
• Aberystwyth £1m
• Personalised Travel Planning interventions £1.3m

Carl Sargeant said;

“By providing the individual with a realistic alternative option to the car and changing people’s attitude towards transport we can achieve our aim of developing a truly sustainable transport system in Wales.”

“Sustainable Travel Centre’s play a vital role in showcasing an alternative, sustainable and joined up transport option through a mixture of infrastructure and service improvements that will in turn reduce congestion in our town and cities.”

“This funding will go towards enabling local authorities to promote sustainable travel  through a combination of initiatives including developing travel plans for the main employers in the area, providing more support for bus services and a vigorous promotion of cycling and walking.”

£1.3m of the fund will go towards promoting the well established Personalised Travel Planning (PTP).

The PTP seeks to overcome the habitual use of the car by encouraging the public to make more journeys on foot, bike, bus, train or in shared cars. Information will go out to homes so people can learn about the alternatives to driving that are available in their neighbourhoods. The PTP will initially be trialled in Cardiff with a survey of residents travel habits.

Similar schemes have already been trialed in England that have helped cut car journeys typically by 10%.