Transport accounts for around one-fifth of global carbon dioxide emissions, and if you use a car and sometimes travel by air, it is probably the biggest contributor to your personal carbon footprint.
Integrated Transport Working Group
Congleton Town Council is working to reduce our carbon footprint and encourage walking, cycling and public transport use. We have set up an Integrated Transport Working Group which includes experts from the Community as well as Councillors, to work on the details and come to Committee with recommendations. As a result of its work, the Council has provided input to the Cheshire East Transport Strategy part of which is the Congleton Local Transport Plan.
What can we all do?
Did you know that the majority of car journeys in Congleton are less than 2 miles? That is a 40-minute walk or a 10-minute cycle ride. We also have bus services from many parts of Congleton to the town centre and back, at least in the day time Monday to Saturday.
If we all change our travel habits around Congleton we would have a greener, safer and quieter town centre and would be doing our bit for the planet, too. There are lots of tips in the Transport Module of the Sustainable Living in Congleton eLearning Course.
Here are some more ideas.
Walk
5 REASONS FOR WALKING INSTEAD OF DRIVING
- It’s free. It saves money on petrol, parking and car maintenance.
- It saves the planet. Walking to Congleton instead of driving two or three times a week would reduce your personal carbon footprint considerably.
- It’s good exercise. If it takes you 30 minutes each way, a brisk walk into town and back three times a week meets the target for NHS recommended adult weekly aerobic exercise.
- It is fun and therefore good for your mental wellbeing. There are lots of ‘off-road’ footpaths into town along bridleways, the canal, and quiet backstreets. You will get fresh air, a taste of nature and a closer look at your neighbourhood.
- It might even be quicker than driving. People often underestimate the time they spend driving, forgetting the unavoidable extra time involved. Add up the time you spend looking for your keys, filling up with petrol, defrosting the car, finding a parking space, walking from the car park, etc, and compare it with a simple walk from A to B. And even if it still takes longer to walk, remember that only the extra time spent walking is the issue, not the total time of the walk.
Cycle
There are a great many cycle routes in and around Congleton. See map.
5 REASONS FOR CYCLING INSTEAD OF DRIVING
- It is better for the planet. Traffic fumes are responsible for half of the UK’s transport emissions. Cycling produces no pollution.
- It can be quicker. You don’t have to sit in traffic queues as a cyclist, you can sail past them, or better still, find an alternative off-road route.
- It is cheaper. Running a car costs an average of £3500 a year, and you can buy a good bike for that. Maintenance of a cycle costs a tiny fraction of car maintenance, and there is no road tax or parking fees to pay.
- It’s good for your health. Even better than walking, cycling is an excellent aerobic workout, good for your heart, lungs, muscles and joints. If you’re worried about those hills around Congleton, consider an electric bike. They still provide exercise, but give you a boost up the steep slopes!
- It’s easier to park. Congleton has extensive bike-racks, as do many offices and shopping centres. Bring your bike lock and leave your bike in a convenient place, absolutely free.
Cheshire East has a ten year cycling strategy which will improve routes and access for Congleton.
Public Transport
Congleton has a number of bus services to destinations including Macclesfield, Crewe, Alsager and Newcastle Under Lyme.
If you live in Mossley, Bromley Farm or Buglawton, you can get the Circular ‘Beartown Buses’ into the town centre. These run twice an hour (daytime) from Monday to Saturday.
In addition Congleton Train Station connects the town to Manchester, Stockport and Macclesfield in the north and London and Birmingham in the south via Stoke-on-Trent.
Here you can see the Congleton, Alsager and Sandbach public transport map:
Bus Services in Congleton
| Service Number, Operator and Date | Route and link to timetable |
| 38 Arriva Arriva fares Last updated: 14/11/2021 | Macclesfield – Gawsworth – Congleton – West Heath – Arclid – Sandbach – Haslington – Crewe Railway Station – Crewe Bus Station Monday to Saturday 38 timetable |
| 38 D&G D&G fares Last updated: 13/12/2021 | Macclesfield – Gawsworth – Congleton – West Heath – Arclid – Sandbach – Haslington – Crewe Railway Station – Crewe Bus Station Monday to Saturday 38 timetable |
| 42 D&G D&G fares Last updated: 25/04/2022 | Crewe – Leighton Hospital – Middlewich – Holmes Chapel – Congleton Service provided on behalf of Cheshire East Council. Monday to Saturday 42 timetable |
| Beartown buses 90, 91, 92 Hollinshead Last updated: 24/10/2016 | Congleton Circulars Service provided on behalf of Cheshire East Council. Monday to Saturday 90, 91, 92 Hollinshead Coaches Congleton Circulars timetable 24/10/16 (PDF, 3.4MB) |
| 94 D&G D&G fares Last updated: 20/02/2022 | Congleton – Biddulph – Newcastle Monday to Friday 94 timetable |
| 318 D&G D&G fares Last updated: 30/08/2020 | Alsager – Rode Heath – Scholar Green – Kidsgrove – Mow Cop – Congleton Service provided on behalf of Cheshire East Council. Monday to Friday 318 timetable |
For more information see the Cheshire East Bus Information page.
Improving Public Transport
Congleton Town Council has consulted with residents and provided input to Cheshire East Council to improve services, including running buses on Sundays and in the evenings, improving timetabling and offering digital information services, improving bus stops and shelters, better synchronisation between bus and rail, and cross-service ticketing options. CEC has included some of these ideas in the Congleton Local Transport Plan.
Last updated: 17th November 2022
