Canterbury residents take part in green transport revolution

Residents at Berkeley Homes (Kent) Ltd's Kingsbrook Park development in Canterbury will be encouraged to use greener methods of travel as part of the scheme's Green Travel Plan.

The house builder is providing financial assistance towards bus travel and the purchase of one bicycle, as well as local foot and cycle maps, and public transport timetables in the push to become more eco-friendly.

Purchasers at the scheme of 264 townhouses and apartments on the corner of Broad Oak and Kingsmead Road will be encouraged to cycle, walk and use public transport instead of using their vehicles. With rising fuel costs and an impending change to road tax charges, using public transport is a cheaper option than running a car. Furthermore, walking and cycling are free and improve your health.

Berkeley Homes (Kent) Ltd has appointed a Sustainable Travel Manager at Kingsbrook Park to ensure residents are aware of the alternative transport options. Every household will receive a ‘Welcome Home' pack, which will include details of the Green Travel Plan. Inside will be an introduction to the Sustainable Travel Manager, public transport timetables and costs, maps of the local area and a £75 discount voucher towards the cost of bus travel. It will also include details of the bicycle discount, an offer of cycle proficiency training, local maps and further sustainable travel details.

The current infrastructure in Canterbury combined with Berkeley Homes (Kent) Ltd's Green Travel Plan means there is no excuse not to adopt greener ways of travelling. Kingsbrook Park is well served by cycle routes and there is on-site provision for cycle parking. Some 17 buses per hour on various routes are all within walking distance of Kingsbrook Park, as is Canterbury West train station. Additionally, Canterbury East train station is a 20-minute walk or a 10-minute cycle from the development.

Green travel plans are the government's favoured way of reducing car usage, cutting our carbon footprint and promoting a healthier lifestyle. As a company, Berkeley Homes pays particular attention to sustainability issues and has had its efforts rewarded in April 2008 by a Queen's Award for Enterprise in the Sustainable Development category. Berkeley Homes (Kent) Ltd's Green Travel Plan at Kingsbrook Park is a natural extension of the group's wider sustainability efforts.

Piers Clanford, Managing Director of Berkeley Homes (Kent) Ltd, comments; "We expect our Green Travel Plan at Kingsbrook Park to have maximum impact on how residents travel as it has been in operation since the development launched, allowing us to educate residents from day one. Kingsbrook Park enjoys a central Canterbury location, so is well served by public transport. The rail link to London is set to improve in 2009 thanks to the new high-speed commuter line into St Pancras, reducing the journey time to 61 minutes. We're also working to enhance pedestrian links to the city centre."

Kingsbrook Park is the latest in a successful line of Berkeley Homes developments in Canterbury. The scheme is bordered on three sides by the River Stour and some properties have views of Canterbury cathedral. Kingsbrook Park will have a verdant setting, with the creation of a newly landscaped 2.5-acre park, including a children's play area, and improved riverside access. The Signature Personalisation Package is in operation at Kingsbrook Park, allowing buyers to choose kitchen cabinet doors, works tops, floor coverings, fitted wardrobes, soft furnishings and electrical upgrades.

For further information on the development and prices, log on to Kingsbrookpark.co.uk.