Getting around Kingsfield

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Introduction

This bespoke page has been produced for residents of Kingsfield, Glastonbury to help you make sustainable travel choices getting around the local area. It includes information on walking and cycling routes, bus and train journey timetables and tips for working from home.

Travel Plan

As part of the planning application process for the Kingsfield development, a Travel Plan was produced, setting out measures to reduce single occupancy vehicle trips by residents to encourage and promote all methods of sustainable travel and transport.

Kingsfield is approximately 1 km from the centre of Glastonbury and within walking distance of schools, bus stops, leisure facilities, shops and employment possibilities.

This web page signposts the various options that are available within the area, such as walking, cycling, car share and public transport. The aim is to improve our environment, our health and our quality of life, whilst easing the pressures on our roads.

What the Travel Plan gives you:

A Travel Pack and web page with sustainable travel information and options
Green Travel Vouchers – reimbursement for sustainable travel items (see below)
Bus taster tickets and updates on bus service changes in your area
Discount voucher for bicycles, clothing, accessories and motorcycle training
Sustainable transport events (look out for details via the web page, Facebook, or by postcard delivered through your letterbox)
Annual residents’ travel surveys to monitor the progress of the Travel Plan

Green Travel Vouchers

Each household in Kingsfield is given a Green Travel Voucher to purchase things that can help you make sustainable travel choices and reduce car use in and around Glastonbury. For example, you may choose to buy a bike(s), walking shoes, waterproof trousers, motorbike helmet or towards a bus or train monthly/season ticket. The breakdown and limit of what you can claim in reimbursement are as follows:

£150 for 2 bedroom dwelling
£220 for 3 bedroom dwelling
£250 for 4 bedroom dwelling

Green Travel Vouchers are a one-off offer, but can be claimed over three tenures of each property. If you are in doubt whether you are entitled to claim, or need advice, please contact your Travel Plan Coordinator at TravelPlanteam@somerset.gov.uk.

Walking

Walking one mile a day burns 100 calories. By doing this, you could lose ten pounds in a year without changing your eating habits.

Walking is an excellent way to get around. It’s free, reliable and a great way to fit regular exercise into your daily routine, no matter what your age or level of fitness. It requires no specialist equipment other than a good pair of walking shoes.

There are many facilities accessible by foot from Kingsfield including local shops, libraries, schools, leisure facilities and doctor surgery. Trips to local supermarkets can be made on foot or by bike.

There are a variety of Heritage Walks, Nature Reserves and Wetlands to discover around the Mendip area. You can find plenty of ideas (and maps to download) by visiting their website.

There are also many of phone apps and fitness trackers on the market that you can choose from to measure how far you have walked and how many calories you may have burned.

If you fancy exploring the local area, walking, and cycling, maps can also be found on our walking and cycling pages.

Cycling

People who cycle regularly in mid-adulthood typically enjoy a level of fitness equivalent to someone 10 years younger and their life expectancy is two years above the average.

Somerset is a wonderful county for cycling – it is a fantastic way to travel, being quicker than walking (and sometimes driving) and cheaper than running a car. It is also a great leisure pastime and a free way of getting to work with health, environmental, social and financial benefits.

If you are thinking of buying a bike to commute to work, check with your employer to see if they have signed up for the national Cycle to Work Scheme which provides loans to help employees buy their own bikes and make further savings on bike equipment.

To cycle into the centre of town either take Route 3 of the National Cycle Network, then onwards south along Route 26, or via the Strawberry Line. The routes into town are mostly flat and should take no longer than 5 minutes.

Practical information about cycling in and around Kingsfield:

Cycle route signs are generally white on a blue background
Be visible. You must use front and rear lights after dark and it is advisable to wear a helmet
Make sure your bike is well-maintained and roadworthy
Check out the Somerset Road Safety website somersetroadsafety.org for advice and courses to keep you safe

For information and maps of cycle trails around Glastonbury go to www.mapmyride.com/gb/glastonbury-eng/

Bicycle shops in your area:

Cog and Sprocket Cycles – Street 01458 441752
Xpressofix Mobile Bicycle Repairs– Castle Cary 07860 313018
Bike City – Wells 01749 670002

Public Transport

Travelling by rail, bus or coach can avoid being stuck in congestion and you don’t need to look for a parking space.

Somerset has an extensive public transport network and offers an immediate alternative for individuals to reduce their energy use and carbon footprint.

Taking the Bus

Glastonbury town centre (1km from Kingsfield) is well connected to surrounding towns and villages by bus to the town centre. Bus services that route through Glastonbury go to Taunton, Wells, Yeovil, Bridgwater, Street, Shipham, Shepton Mallet, Gurney Slade, Wedmore, Bristol and Wells.

29 Taunton to Wells
75, X75 Bridgwater to Wells
77 Yeovil to Wells
376 Street to Bristol
668 Street to Shipham
669 Shepton Mallet to Street
649 Street to Gurney Slade
751 Street to Wedmore

To look up timetables, and bus stop information and plan your journey, go to www.travelinesw.com

English National Concessionary Travel Scheme Passes are available for those of pensionable age or eligible on the grounds of disability.

For all other discounts and offers please contact the bus operator.

Your nearest stops are located at:

Wells Road on A361, near Underwood Road (500m away)
Town Centre

Using mobile phone technology to find your next bus

NextBuses is a mobile internet service which enables you to find bus times on your smartphone (iPhone, Android and Windows Phone apps are also available). It allows you to select a bus stop close to where you are and find times for the next bus from that stop. Scheduled bus times are shown if live times are not available. Normal data charges from your mobile phone operator apply. Speed and access to the service are subject to your network connection (www.nextbuses.mobi).

By text

You can also check the next buses from a particular bus stop by sending the bus stop code in a text to 84268. The bus stop code may be displayed on the bus stop flag or in the timetable case. If the stop has lots of departures, then you can also add the service number you want (leaving a space after the stop code) so your message might look like “sotdtmiad 81”. You will receive a message back, normally in less than a minute. Typically the message will show a clock time if the information comes from timetables (for example, 0935) but it will show an expected waiting time (5 mins) if it comes from a real-time information system. Remember the service is specific to an individual stop for travel in that one direction, the code for the stop in the other direction will be different. The message you send will cost your normal text message charge. In some areas, the reply will be free of charge. In most areas, the reply will cost up to 25p.

Traveline’s text number is 84268.

The nearest stop code is: sotawtat

Getting on the bus:

Find the right stop.
Stopping the bus – check the route number and destination on the front of the bus as it approaches. Raise your arm to show the driver that you want it to stop – it may not stop otherwise.
Buy your ticket on the bus – choose from a single, return or day ticket for your journey.
Quite often day tickets are the cheapest if you are doing two or more journeys that day.
Generally, a return ticket is the price of 2 singles – unlike the train. Having the correct fare will help the driver who may not have much change. Season tickets may be the cheapest option if you intend to use the bus a lot for your daily commute (these need to be purchased from the bus station or online).
Getting off the bus – press the bell once in advance of the stop where you want to get off, giving the driver enough time to slow down and stop. Ask the driver for help if you are unsure where to get off the first time. It helps to know how long your journey is supposed to be so that you know roughly how long you should be on the bus.

Details of the bus services that operate around Glastonbury can be found at the bottom.

To plan your journey visit www.travelinesw.com and use the ‘plan your journey’ tool or, if you have one, use the free Traveline app on your smartphone.

Community Transport

The Mendip Slinky bus service is operated by Mendip Community Transport and provides a door-to-door bookable service within the Mendip area for senior citizens, people with disabilities, and people without access to public transport or their own car. The service operates from 9am Monday to Friday and is free to register. Go to www.mendipcommunitytransport.co.uk to find out more.

Trains

The nearest rail stations are Castle Cary, which is approximately 15 km away and Bridgwater approximately 18 km. Rail services from Castle Cary provide links to London Paddington, Plymouth, Exeter, Bristol and Weymouth. Bridgwater station provides links to Cardiff, Taunton, Exeter, Bristol and Plymouth.

There are bicycle parking facilities at both Castle Cary and Bridgwater stations. For a one-stop shop for information about combining cycle and rail journeys search PlusBike

Practical information about using the trains

Castle Cary railway station is located 1 mile north of Castle Cary and 5 miles south of Shepton Mallet at Station Wharf (BA7 7PE) and provides a waiting room, refreshment facilities and accessible toilets. There is a taxi rank at the front of the station and parking for 100 vehicles.
Castle Cary and Bridgwater stations are operated and managed by Great Western Railway gwr.com
Bridgwater railway station is located on Wellington Road (TA6 5HB) and also provides waiting rooms, refreshment facilities and toilets.
Bridgwater station provides cycle storage.

Getting on the train

Look up the times of the trains to your destination – use the various National Rail Enquiry services to get the time of the next train. nationalrail.co.uk Tel: 08457 48 49 50 or smartphone app.
Buy your ticket – You can order your ticket via the Internet, over the phone or at the station before you get the train. Sometimes if the station is unstaffed you can buy the ticket on the train itself. Often buying your ticket at least 24 hours in advance can be much cheaper than buying on the day. Also, there are a variety of railcards and discounts on offer for all age groups including 16-25, Two Together, Family and Friends, Disabled Persons and Senior railcards. Check the National Rail website for details on how to obtain railcards and travel discounts.
On the train – Have your ticket to hand as you may be asked to show your ticket more than once during your journey and to go through the barriers once you get off.

A useful, simple guide to train travel can be found at: www.seat61.com/UK-train-travel.htm

Journey times from Castle Cary and Bridgwater Rail Stations

London Paddington – 2 hrs 48 mins Plymouth – 1 hr 52 mins Exeter – 50 mins Bristol – 1 hour 34 mins Weymouth 1 hour 8 mins Cardiff – 1 hour 56 mins Taunton – 14 mins Bristol – 48 mins Plymouth – 1 hour 57 mins

Coach

Travelling in a modern, air-conditioned, spacious and comfortable coach is a fantastic way to see the country while you unwind.

If you don’t fancy taking the train, a cheaper option may be to go by coach. With regular services linking Glastonbury to London, it can often work out more economical than using the car.

National Express coaches (www.nationalexpress.com) operate a bookable service to London Victoria via Bristol and Heathrow Monday to Saturday at 6.10am, and 6:30 am Sundays and Bank Holidays. London Victoria to Street Via Heathrow and Bath Spa depart 17:30 pm every day. The bus departs from the Town Hall for both destinations.

Berry’s Coaches provide the Superfast 3 service – Glastonbury via Taunton to London Hammersmith Bus Station, which departs 7:30am Monday to Saturday and 9am and 3pm Sundays and Bank Holidays. The Superfast also goes direct to London Hammersmith daily leaving 18:45pm Monday to Saturday and 18:00pm and 20:30pm Sundays and Bank Holidays. Berry’s also offers a variety of excursions – www.berryscoaches.co.uk

National Express journey times from Glastonbury Town Hall:

London Heathrow – 4 hrs 5 mins London Victoria – 4 hrs 54 mins Bath – 1 hr 10 mins

Motorcycle

Riding a motorcycle can be cheaper to run than a car, and is a more environmentally friendly option. It can reduce travel time for both you and other road users by either bypassing traffic or taking up less road space and therefore reducing congestion.

If you would like to learn to ride a motorcycle, or already have a licence, but are a bit rusty and require a refresher course, why not take advantage of the discount voucher at the back of this booklet or contact one of the many other motorcycle training schools in the area to see what they offer.

Practical information about travelling by motorcycle

Many car parks have dedicated areas for motorcycles, making parking easier and reducing the risk of any damage happening to the vehicle. Around Glastonbury town centre you can find provisions for motorcycles at:

Silver Street
St John’s Square
St Dunstan’s

To find out more visit www.parkopedia.co.uk

If you already own or want to purchase a motorcycle or scooter, you may find the following shops useful:

Phoenix Motorcycle Training – Bridge Farm, Wells
Toucan Motorcycle Training – Godney Road, Glastonbury
Cheddar MX Store – Cheddar Head, Wells
Wells Motorcycles – Cannards Grave, Shepton Mallet

Driving

There are currently around 38.4 million vehicles on UK roads. Although being able to hop into your car and just drive is very convenient, it may not be the cheapest, fastest or most environmentally friendly option.

In the UK, almost 70 per cent of the workforce commutes to work by car during peak times, with the average driver spending 124 hours stuck in gridlock annually, and this is set to rise to 136 hours in 2030, equivalent to 18 working days a year.

There are steps that you can take to reduce the impact of driving on your pocket and the environment. So why not consider some of the ideas below and try something new?

Practical information about travelling by car

The simplest way is to try to reduce the number of car journeys you need to make. You will find advice on alternatives within this Travel Pack.
Car sharing with a friend, neighbour or colleague is a good way to help cut your travel costs. If you don’t know anyone personally to share your journey, why not look at https://liftshare.com/uk which matches up car drivers and passengers who travel on similar routes at similar times? Liftshare is safe, secure and free of charge.
Try combining your car journeys, carrying out several tasks in one journey.
Try travelling at quieter times of the day, avoiding rush hour if you can.
Why not use your car for only part of your journey and cycle or walk the rest?
Look into public transport and walking/cycling routes near your home.

Before you set out on your journey, why not take a look at Roadworks and Travel or check out the BBC Travel or AA websites (www.theaa.com/traffic-news/index.jsp), which provide up-to-date information on any roadworks/closures or delays on your route.

If you drive an electric car check out this live interactive link to find car charging points in the UK.

Reducing travel in other ways

Thinking carefully about how you travel is important – but it may be that you don’t have to make that journey at all. Cutting the number of journeys you make could save you time, hassle and money and cut out commuting time.

Flexible working (or changing the times you work) and home working (or changing where you work) can have major rewards in terms of lifestyle.
Why not ask your employer if they can do anything to support flexible and home working? There are a number of rewards that your employer might not be aware of – such as improved staff morale, increased productivity and the potential to provide bigger personal workspaces.
Can you set up a home office space to work from home, even for just one day a week? Your employer may also be able to help with this.
Shopping locally and buying locally sourced products is a good way to improve your lifestyle and support local suppliers.
Using a rucksack or panniers on your bike can help you carry your shopping home.
For bigger purchases, why not do your shopping online and have it delivered to your door? This not only avoids having to travel to the shops but also the queues at the tills, and can even save you money by encouraging you to stick to a budget as the cost is tallied up as you go along. Most national supermarkets have an online service.
You could also link up with neighbours for a big shop, taking turns to drive, thereby cutting congestion and the cost of fuel.
The Green Travel Voucher can be used for home office equipment too.

Practical information about Days Out /Things to do

Instead of getting in the car to enjoy a day out why not take advantage of what is on your doorstep within either walking or cycling distance, or even a short bus ride away? The journey itself then becomes part of the fun e.g. a cycle ride and stopping for lunch or a picnic.

Glastonbury Tor

Glastonbury BA6 8BG

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/glastonbury-tor

Glastonbury Abbey

Magdalene Street, Glastonbury BA6 9EL

01458 832267

www.glastonburyabbey.com

Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve

Shapwick Road, Westhay, Glastonbury BA6 9TT

01458 860120

www.avalonmarshes.org

Westhay Moor National Nature Reserve