DEVON County Council has outlined its commitment to improving public transport and other green forms of travel.

The Campaign for Better Transport attended the council's Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, asking how the council intends to deal with transport provision in order to tackle traffic congestion.

Cllr Stuart Hughes, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation, emphasised Devon’s strong record of investment in walking and cycling routes and public transport, and agreed to host a meeting with the campaigners and county council officers in the near future.

Cllr Hughes said: “Devon County Council has a clear focus and a proud record of promoting, supporting and delivering a wide range of transport opportunities.

“The Exe Estuary and Tarka Trail cycle routes, the highly successful Park and Ride service, the purchase of a new low emission fleet of vehicles on key routes into Exeter, and rail station enhancements.

“This investment has resulted in a substantial increase in the use of these forms of transport.”

In 2009, Devon became only the second local authority in the country to be named Transport Local Authority of the Year for a second time at the National Transport Awards.

Last year the council’s Cycle Exeter team won the National Transport Award for cycling improvements and the county council was highly commended for its work in improving access to public transport.

The council’s support for increasing cycling was recognised by Cycling England last year with the award of £2 million of funding for a countywide project to examine the link between leisure cycling and everyday cycling.

The section of the Exe Estuary Trail between Exeter and Exmouth is now largely completed with the final short link expected to be completed later this year.

The county council is also progressing work on the Coast to Coast Route (NCN27) from Ilfracombe to Plymouth, the cross authority Stop Line Way cycle route from Seaton to Burnham on Sea in Somerset, as well as the Connect 2 cycle bridge which will link Newton Abbot and Kingsteignton.

Devon has also worked closely with bus operators to improve services and increase passenger numbers. This is against the trend of declining patronage outside of London.

Joint investment in low emission buses on the flagship ‘Go2’ bus route operating between Exeter and Newton Abbot via Dawlish and Teignmouth, has helped account for a 28% passenger growth in the service in the past year.

It also earned Devon County Council and Stagecoach recognition at the UK Bus Awards as runner-up in the ‘Bus in the Countryside’ award.

Park and Ride services in Exeter also continue to grow in popularity.

From just over 856,000 passengers a year in 2003/4, the annual number of people travelling on Park and Ride buses in the city had reached more than 1,580,000 in 2008/9 – an 85% increase over five years.

Government funding awarded to Devon for exceeding growth targets for public transport passenger numbers was re-invested to help Stagecoach provide 13 new buses for the three Park and Ride services in Exeter.

Cllr Hughes added:“Looking to the future, our plans are to continue to invest in walking and cycling routes, to ensure key public transport routes are maintained and improved, and to work with the rail operators to develop Devon Metro.

“Devon Metro is a rail initiative that would improve links between Exeter and several market and coastal towns across the county.

“With new stations and better rolling stock, accessibility to the main attractions in the city would be enhanced, providing an attractive, low carbon alternative to the car. “Within Exeter there will be an emphasis on improving connections to the city centre for walking and cycling with a co-ordinated network of safe routes, improvements to the bus network, further park and ride sites and new rail stations at Marsh Barton and to the east of Exeter.

“We will also continue to work with businesses and schools to promote travel planning and influence travel behaviour which will help support future economic growth and reduce carbon emissions.

“Devon County Council has taken bold steps in major urban areas, with a commitment to prioritising cyclists by installing cycle signals across the M5 on slip at Junction 30 and building a new pedestrian cycle bridge across the motorway, north of Junction 29.

“It is unlikely that other authorities are as enthusiastic, ambitious or committed to cycling as Devon.”