Williams calls on Wales to ‘Change Your World’
The Welsh star has pledged to change his world – and he’s calling on the people of Wales to give it a ‘try’ too! Martyn is supporting sustainable transport charity Sustrans’ national campaign to encourage the UK to ‘Change Your World’.
As part of Sustrans’ 30th anniversary celebrations the charity is asking the people of Wales to pledge to switch one car journey in the week of the 1st to 7th July to a more environmentally-friendly and active way of getting around, such as walking, cycling or using public transport – and if everyone swapped one car journey in that week it would reduce car traffic by at least ten per cent.*
By logging on to the website www.changeyourworld.org.uk during June people will be able to make their pledge, perhaps take a walk to the local shops, hop on the bus to the cinema or cycle to the gym (after all, why use an exercise bike that’s chained to the floor?!). The website also has tips on other ways to change travel habits and details of the benefits that “greener” travel can bring.
Martyn said: “I’m swapping four wheels for two and walking my daughter to the bus stop, rather than taking the car, to support Sustrans’ Change Your World campaign. Building walking or cycling into your everyday routine is a good way to keep fit and healthy – and it’s better for the environment too.”
Other famous faces already pledging to change their world this summer include Welsh TV presenter Josie D’Arby, Adam Hart Davis, Wayne Hemingway, Miranda Krestovknikoff (from BBC TV’s “Coast”), Alistair McGowan, Aardman Animations’ Nick Park, Dr Alice Roberts (of BBC TV’s “Don’t Die Young”) and Jon Snow.
Further information about Sustrans, including other news releases and detailed online route mapping, is available through the website: www.sustrans.org.uk
* On average across the GB population there are 435 car driver trips per person per year.
Additional information
– 57% of the population has a drivers’ licence
–Â there are around 435/0.57 = 763 car driver trips per car driver per year
– a 10% reduction would be 76 car driver trips per car driver, or 38 return journeys
– switching one journey per week would achieve at least this (even taking into account that not everyone who has a licence drives, and that there are less than 52 travelling weeks in the year)
 Sustrans is the UK’s leading sustainable transport charity. Its vision is a world in which people choose to travel in ways that benefit their health and the environment. It is achieving this through innovative but practical solutions to the UK’s transport challenges.
 This year Sustrans celebrates its 30th anniversary, it was founded in Bristol on July 7th 1977. During 2007 there will be a variety of activities to mark the year, including a celebratory cycle ride and party in the charity’s home town of Bristol.
 Sustrans’ flagship project, the National Cycle Network is currently over 10,000 miles long and runs within one mile of over half the UK population. By July 2007 it will reach 12,000 miles. In 2005 it was used for 232 million trips and is maintained by a team of 2,200 volunteer Rangers.
 Wales has over 1,000 miles of National Cycle Network, with a team of around 170 volunteer Rangers who help to maintain the Network across the country.
