Car Free - for a day or for longer?
An article from Sustainable Wells ‘A Year of Living Sustainably’ - written by Sophia Frances about Going Car Free
I have been a car free person now for 12 years.
Although it’s been quite an adjustment moving and planning journeys in accordance to bus and train timetables, I have found it quite freeing on some levels and less stressful. I can really take in the scenery, I don’t have the stress of dealing with busy roads.
I see places I’ve never seen before and meet people I wouldn’t otherwise meet. It’s kinder to the environment and my purse. The biggest extra bonuses, making new, very special friends and a bonus I never expected is the kindness and generosity of friends with cars who consider me when it comes to lift sharing. Big thank you lovely people
Why did I give up my car?
It suited my ethos of wanting to be more environmentally friendly and my arm was given the extra twist it needed because of a big budget change as I came to rely solely on my very basic Old Age Pension. A big plus was being entitled to my bus pass.
If you haven’t applied for yours, I thoroughly recommend you do so asap.
Trains, planes and automobiles, coaches and buses
I lived in Yeovil for quite a while, which although it wasn’t my chosen location, it was pretty good with all the public transport I needed because to visit friends and family scattered around the country.
The combination of Berry’s Coaches, buses and two train stations was a bonus and a start to some exciting affordable adventures.
This was a great help too for adjusting to being car free and to an unplanned for retirement.
Moving to Wells
My move to Wells was in 2017 which I love, although a big adjustment on lots of levels. As an older person, needing to make new friends from scratch, finding my niche and adapting to a very different public transport system.
My first contacts were made through Freecycle which I read about in the Wells Voice local paper. On a Sunday, I set out with my trusty old shopping trolley filled with things I no longer needed. I was met by friendly faces who told me how Freecycle worked. This was where I first learnt about Sustainable Wells. As I reflect, it was the start of finding my niche and my tribe. Thank you Freecycle and tribe.
Moving around and out from Wells
The 126 bus goes from the top of my road into Wells.
In those early days, the bus ran from Weston Super Mare to Wells and it would be crammed full on market days especially. It would be a buzzy atmosphere especially on the return journeys where people would be discussing and sharing their wares. It was on my first return journey that I met my first near neighbour.
We had a very chatty exchange on our stroll from bus to home, we have become friends and supportive to each other throughout Covid, meeting for a safely distanced walk.
I also met my second neighbour via the 126 bus we would sometimes all three meet for safe walks, companionship and support.
So far, I’ve only focussed on one bus and a very short journey.
Since then, my main buses will be the 376, Bristol to Street, the best regular every half an hour service, good connection for trains and the rest of the country in Bristol, no expensive car parking, no stress.
The 173 bus to Bath to meet up with a friend and enjoy an art exhibition.
The 77 bus to a visit poorly relative in Somerton or friends in Yeovil.
One of my current favourites and necessary buses is the 667 from Street to Castle Cary via Barton St David where I’ve recently started volunteering at the excellent organic community farm, Plotgate. I can travel on from there to my daughter’s in Keinton Mandeville or friends near Castle Cary.
Well, it’s proved more interesting than I imagined it would be being asked to write this for Sustainable Wells. Upon reflection, buses and Sustainable Wells have been the two main factors helping me to settle and feel a part of a new community.
I would highly recommend you try a few car free days and plan some new adventures by bus. You never know it maybe the start of a car free future. Even if you aren’t a bus pass person, fares are only two pounds so affordable now and you’ll be playing your vital part in saving our precious public transport system and Planet.