TODAY I bring you the last weekly column from Sustrans, as we reach the end of our funded work in Swindon.

Around 18 months or so ago, Sustrans and the Swindon Advertiser agreed a partnership to bring readers a regular feature on cycling in Swindon.

The idea was brought about after Sustrans and Swindon Borough Council were successful in securing funding to increase cycling and use of other sustainable modes of transport in the town.

Over the last two years this has enabled us to bring you hundreds of local events, which we’ve highlighted in this weekly column.

We’ve worked with dozens of large Swindon employers, including the likes of Nationwide, National Trust, and the Research Councils, to reach thousands of employees with information and training to enable them to travel more actively and healthily.

We’ve also engaged with thousands of commuters at Swindon railway station, and delivered personalised travel plans to help them reduce their car use, alongside fun and engaging events to inspire others.

Our work has also reached families and communities in the area, with exciting new events like the Tour de Swindon and Swindon’s Cycling Revolution.

These events in particular have successfully linked together the many community and voluntary cycling groups such as Sustrans Volunteers, Swindon Bicycle User Group, MBSwindon, and Swindon Road Club, and of course partner organisations like Swindon Borough Council, British Cycling, and Recycles.

In total this huge array of work has directly reached more than 50,000 individuals in Swindon, with an 18% increase in cycling and 23% decrease in car use amongst our project beneficiaries.

These are fantastic results, and a sure sign of changing attitudes in Swindon.

Although our funded work has come to an end for now in Swindon, there is a fantastic legacy to the initiatives we have delivered over the last two years. We now have a wider network of Sustrans volunteers including Workplace Travel Champions.

There is also a Station Travel Plan in place, with improvements planned for access to and around Swindon railway station.

So for now I say farewell from Sustrans. We look forward to working intensively in the area in the near future.

I am really pleased to say that in the meantime this regular feature will be taken over by Swindon’s Bicycle User Group – who will continue to keep you updated on all things cycling in the town.

To keep in touch with Sustrans’ work, visit www.sustrans.org.uk or follow us on social media: www.facebook.com/SustransSwindon and www.twitter.co.uk/SustransSwindon