Elizabeth

Elizabeth, a mental health nurse, took part in the Oxford Car Free Challenge and says she really benefited from the experience: "I found new relationships, friendships….when you walk, by saying good morning, you start conversations.”  During the Challenge she travelled by bus and on foot, and enjoyed encouraging fellow students on her nursing course to join her in walking with her to the next bus stop: "They all went with me. And along the way, we’re talking, we’re engaging. So I gained friends.” She felt walking was also good for her physical health: “At times I could become breathless, but when I started walking it was flowing, it was easy. I really enjoyed it.”

Elizabeth discovered that going into town on foot or by bus was the more convenient option, saving her both time and money. It avoided the hassle of needing to park her car and return within two hours or pay a higher charge. As a result, she said, she could get more done and her trip was more relaxed: “I went to the post office, I went to do my shopping, I had coffee, I met a friend. Without the car it’s very, very flexible and convenient… With the car in Oxford, parking’s very expensive, so you are limited in what you want to do.”