Transport
Transport is the single largest carbon emitting sector in the UK, and accounts for nearly 26% of all the nations' emissions. Help support Swale's transition to a healthy, safer, and greener borough by reading some of the tips below.
Ultra-Low Emission Vehicles
From 2030, new cars and vans powered wholly by petrol and diesel will not be sold in the UK and by 2035 all new cars and vans will be required to emit zero carbon emissions from the tailpipe.
Swale Borough Council has already began supporting the transition to Electric Vehicles by installing electric charge points across council owned car parks, and many businesses have also installed their own charge points. Many public chargers can be found using Zapmap, which can be downloaded on your phone or viewed on the web.
Swale Low-Emission Car Club
In March 2022, Swale Borough Council launched a three year trial of a local car club in Faversham and Sittingbourne, helping people to get convenient access to cleaner, affordable travel.
For as little as £3 an hour, HiyaCar will provide low-emission vehicles on their pay-as-you-go system via an online booking system where users can sign up for free.
Visit our Swale Car Club page to find out more.
Walking, Wheeling and Cycling
We are lucky to be the only Kent authority with an Active Transport Coordinator who has been working hard to make Swale a great place to walk and cycle. There is lots to see and do, from hiking through a diverse landscape on one of the long distance trails to one of many short circular walks around a historical towns or village. Listed below are just some of these fantastic routes:
- King Charles III England Coast Path- the National Trail that will eventually cover all 4,500km of England's coast. Walk along the Whitstable to Iwade section passing through the Oare Marshes, which supports an exciting and diverse range of birds, and finish by the unique Kingsferry Bridge, a mid-twentieth century engineering marvel.
- Saxon Shore Way- this long-distance route follows Kent's ancient coastline for 160 miles (257km) from Gravesend to Hastings. Enjoy the inspiring landscape and natural beauty of the estuarine habitats and the historic marsh villages and towns along the trail through Swale from Otterham Quay to Seasalter.
- A Land for all Seasons Nature Trail- a circular walk of 9-12 miles in the chalk slopes of the North Downs through Sheldwich, Selling, Perrywood and Badlesmere
- A Classic Kent Landscape- a 5 mile circular walk through Borden, Bredgar and Tunstall
- The Two Creeks Nature Trail- a circular 5 mile walk discovering the rich maritime and farming legacy of Faversham, Davington and Oare
- The Woodlands & Duck Pond Trail- a wonderful circular country walk from Sittingbourne through Rodmersham Green and Milstead. The route is 3.8 miles with a 2.7 miles optional loop.
Click here to get a full list of trails around Swale.
Kent Connected is a free journey planner that empowers you to make smarter travel choices with your health, time, and the environment in mind. The app makes travel planning easy by showing live bus and train times, offering different route suggestions for walking and cycling and using integrated walking and cycling maps to help ease any worries and get you on your way. The app now features an Ordnance Survey map layer as well as a brand new section featuring Explore Kent walking and cycling routes!
Not feeling confident cycling on the road? KCC offer Adult Cycle Training across Kent to give you the skills to cycle for both work and leisure