Hampshire County Council has begun a pilot in the use of a mobile app to encourage people to walk, cycle or use public transport in return for rewards.
It has adopted the BetterPoints platform, developed by the behavioural change specialist of the same name, to prompt people into more active travel, initially in the Whitehill and Bordon area.
The BetterPoints app tracks journeys using GPS and allocates points, which can be traded for vouchers to spend at local cafés, retailers, other services, chains including Pizza Express, Sainsburys and IKEA, or donated to charities.
The move is aimed at improving people’s physical and mental health and reducing traffic in the area.
Councillor Russell Oppenheimer, Hampshire’s executive member for highways operations, said: “This is a new approach to encouraging behaviour change and it will be really interesting to see how BetterPoints can motivate people to travel sustainably and, in doing so, support local businesses and charities.
“BetterPoints applies to a number of means of travel so can be used by most people in Whitehill and Bordon, with great benefits in terms of health – both physical and mental, reducing traffic and, in turn, carbon emissions.”
The platform has previously been used to promote active travel in areas including Ebbsfleet and Leicester.
Image from BetterPoints
