Bromley borough has one of the highest car ownership levels in London. Many residents commute by train to London, but the majority of shorter journeys is made by car – particularly for those working locally, shopping, leisure and taking children to school. This trend has been boosted by increasing centralisation of facilities and the growth of out-of-town retailing.
The result is severe traffic congestion at peak periods (and increasingly at other times too), which is wasteful economically, socially frustrating, and is the main source of air and noise pollution. Roads are seen as being less safe. So, while the car is a convenient and versatile means of transport for many of us, it is accommodated only at increasing environmental, social and economic cost.
Public transport has a poor image: it is less accessible to people with disabilities and less flexible when travelling with children or luggage. Many view it as unsafe, particularly late at night when most stations are unmanned and there are fewer passengers. Rail services have improved in frequency on many lines, but do not serve all parts of the borough; buses are more flexible. While new local bus services have been introduced in recent years, there is a lack of awareness of the convenience of these services. Tramlink provides a new service between Beckenham/Elmers End and Croydon.
Other alternative means of transport remain relatively under-utilised. Cycling could be used for many shorter journeys, including journeys to work and school, but many consider it unsafe and there are few dedicated facilities. Over 70% of all journeys are less than one mile: walking has perhaps greatest potential here – but only if the facilities and services we require are within walking distance.