A green travel project run by Sutton Council and Transport for London won a top national award.

The Smarter Travel Sutton initiative picked up the Sustainable Transport Strategy prize at the Municipal Journal (MJ) Awards, which recognises outstanding achievement in local government.

The project is a £5m, three-year partnership between the council and TfL, which aims to reduce car use and promote sustainable travel in the borough.

Councillor Colin Hall, executive member for environment, said: “The MJ awards celebrate the best of local government across the UK, and this award is really special.

“It’s a tribute to all the residents, schools and businesses who have backed Smarter Travel Sutton and shared our vision to change the way they travel around the borough.

“More people are cycling than ever before or using public transport instead of their cars.

“There has also been a big shift in the way people think about travel and a real desire to protect the environment and cut congestion on our roads.

“There’s a lot more to come too. We will soon be talking about major transport projects in places such as Wallington, which will make walking, cycling and public transport the best way to travel in the borough.”

In March, Smarter Travel Sutton won the Travel Information and Marketing prize at the London Transport Awards.

Coun Hall also won an award for his contribution to local transport in London.

Smarter Travel Sutton was launched in September 2006.

Personalised travel advisors visited 70,000 homes in Sutton in 2007, speaking to two-thirds of householders to offer free support and advice about travelling around the borough.

Sutton is one of the first boroughs in London to secure approved travel plans for all of its schools by April 2008.

More than 15,000 employees in Sutton now work for companies with an approved workplace travel plan.

Cycling increased in the borough by 50 per cent last year, while bike thefts were reduced by 17 per cent.

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