Doncaster Commuter Challenge
The commuter challenge was an experiment based on testing Doncasters various modes of transport including cycling, walking, running, using the park and ride and driving on the A19. It was organised through Sustrans the National Sustainable Transport Charity and Doncaster Primary Care Trust. The route started from Castle Hills Primary School where participants all set off from, meeting at the finishing line at Mansion House in the centre of Doncaster. The route was approximately 3 miles long. We hope to run another one of these in 2010 / 2011. The results for the 2008 challenge are as follows;
Cycling: 18 Minutes
Running: 19 mins:30 secs
Park and Ride: 20 mins: 30 secs
Car: 19mins:40 secs
Walking: 39 mins: 51 secs
CALORIES BURNT ON THE COMMUTER CHALLENGE
The amount of energy people use can vary widely even if they seem to be a similar build or age. The calculator is a rough guide to the number of calories you can use by doing different activities.
Car Travel
This would be the least effective way to achieve burning any calories off and would be limited to how far you walk from where you park not to mention the added stress of commuting in heavy traffic.
Walkers
Taking a brisk walk is one of the easiest ways to fit a bit of exercise into your day. Stride around the block in your lunch hour, walk the kids to school or take the dog for a walk. The Department of Health recommends that you aim to walk 10,000 steps a day. Try using a pedometer to keep track of how many steps you do. You can burn 35 calories in 10 minutes of brisk walking. The estimated time for walking into Doncaster from Jossey Lane as part of the Commuter Challenge is an hour which equates to 210 calories used and well over half of the 10,000 recommended steps a day achieved. If you were to walk the return route you would exceed the 10,000 steps a day target and really contribute to improving your health.
Park and Ride
With this method of travel you would be walking as part of the process and would be atleast looking at burning 70 calories based on 20 minutes of walking too and from your destination. If you were to include walking to the Park and ride aswell you could aim to increase this. Over a 7 day period this would be burning 490 calories. You would also have a more pleasant experience than commuting in the car and hopefully arrive at work alot more refreshed and positive.
Cyclists
Ten minutes of moderate cycling will burn around 62 calories, so for the commuter challenge you would be looking at around 120 – 155 calories burnt depending on the intensity. A return journey would burn approximately 240 – 310 calories which would mean over a 7 day period you could burn 2170 calories by cycling.
Running
30 minutes of running would equate to around 290 calories been used, adding to a total of 580 calories for a return journey and 1740 calories used if you did this 3 times a week.
Doncaster
Commuter challenge – carbon dioxide savings
Carbon dioxide is a gas that is produced when petrol or diesel is used to run a car engine. It contributes to climate change by trapping heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. Climate change plays a part in many global and local problems including extreme weather, habitat destruction, crop failure and flooding.
The average car produces enough carbon dioxide to fill twenty balloons for every mile it travels. If you drive four miles (the average work commute) into work and four miles back again your car will produce enough carbon dioxide to fill 160 balloons.
If you travel into work by cycling or walking your carbon dioxide production will be zero. Using public transport, such as the Park and Ride will also massively cut your carbon dioxide production.
If you cycle or walk into work for a whole week you will save enough carbon dioxide to fill eight hundred balloons.
Cycle or walk to work for a month and you will save enough carbon dioxide to fill over three trhousand balloons.
If you cycle or walk to work for a whole year your carbon dioxide saving will be enough to fill over thirty-eight thousand balloons!!
Even if you only cycle or walk to work for two days a week you will save enough carbon dioxide to fill over sixteen thousand balloons!!
Want to live longer? Scientific research has shown that regular cyclists have a fitness and health level of someone ten years younger! That’s quite a bonus.
SO WHEN YOU NEXT TRAVEL INTO TOWN STOP AND HAVE A THINK BEFORE YOU USE THE CARS, THERE ARE HEALTHIER AND BETTER WAYS TO COMMUTE!
For more information go to www.sustrans.org.uk
It is hoped that this could become an annual event and be bigger and better.
Huge thanks goes to -
North Doncaster Development Trust
Bentley Safer Neighbourhood Team
Sustrans
DMBC
Choosing Health Staff and Colleagues
Carcroft Primary School staff and children
Castle Hills Primary School staff an children
Bentley New Village Primary School staff and children
Doncaster Primary Care Trust