Brighter lights for the MK Redways

The walkways of Milton Keynes, also known as the redways, are something of a rarity for a city of its size. They give the public a safe way of getting around the city without having to come into contact with main roads, and has become something which Milton Keynes is pretty well-known for.

However, these routes are well-underused, and as a result, Milton Keynes council are taking steps to make them more appealing. In time, all redway lights are set to be replaced with energy-efficiant LED lights. On top of this, a further 500 lights are planned, which adds to the 600 that were added last year, and vegetation will be cut back to make the redways more accessible and visible, to help pedestrians and cyclists feel safer.

As well as safety, the lights are also a step towards energy-saving, with the new lights estimated to reduce carbon dioxide by up to 300 tonnes each year, which is the amount needed to power around 100 houses. This will eventually save about 3% on the council's overall energy bill. A seemingly small percentage, but a step in the right direction.

This is all part of the council's £50m highway investment programme, which includes resurfacing stretches of the gird roads, roundabouts and new and improved signage. The redways are a great way for cyclists and pedestrians to travel safely, and yet it is true that they are underused as there are all too often cyclists on the busy grid roads, causing hazards for both themselves and drivers. Hopefully the redways can become safer and better used with these planned improvements, keep an eye out for the new lights!

Is MK getting greener?

In the April issue of the Phonebox magazine, we told you about a company introducing electric charging points at their offices in a bid to try and be more 'green' and environmentally friendly. The issue of protecting the environment has always been a huge one, and today it seems there are more options and ways than ever before, for individuals to be able to make a small difference. Electric cars are a fairly new thing but seem to be becoming more and more popular, with the hybrid option also particularly popular. Cities especially seem to be stepping up their green transportation ideas...

Milton Keynes is one of the leaders in this, with a fleet of electric buses zipping around the city. Milton Keynes is the first place in the UK to be proudly running the first all-electric bus route, still in it's early days, the buses are set to be reviewed to see how their usage and efficiency compare to the previous diesel vehicles, our guess is that they can surely only be better than before, but we shall see! The electric transport is definitely quieter, which on the whole is a positive, but as with everything, there have been complaints. A fair point is that they may be slightly more dangerous for pedestrians, who may not be able to hear the vehicle coming. Maybe there needs to be more emphasis on making people aware that new cars and buses might be quieter, and reminding them that they need to look as well as listen when crossing roads etc. While these types of transport are still in the minority, and are a relatively new concept, the fact remains the same that every little does help and so they are just steps in the right direction. Obviously the best for the environment would be if everyone walked or cycled, but that's not going to be viable for the majority we don't think!

What do you think about the new electric transportation?