walkit.com marks a step change for Derby

NEWS RELEASE

08.05.08

Today sees the Derby launch [1] of the award-winning [2] online walking route planner www.walkit.com.

At www.walkit.com you can generate a walking route map between any two points in the city centre [3]. Each route map includes a journey distance, the walking time (according to a slow, medium or fast walking pace), a calorie burn, and even the amount of CO2 saved by not going by car, taxi or bus!

For example:

• Derby Station to Pride Park
• Derby Station to Derby Council House
• Derby Evening Telegraph to Derby Cathedral

walkit.com launched in London in September 2006 and has a mission to get people walking more in and around town. It lets people make more informed decisions about whether walking might be their best option for shorter urban journeys.

In 2007, the site received over 440,000 visits and generated nearly 670,000 walking routes. It now operates in London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Newcastle/Gateshead and Leeds, with Derby launching today.

Jamie Wallace, founder of walkit.com, said: “Walking can often be the smartest transport option. It’s the quick, free, green and healthy way to get around town. No traffic jams. No need for intimacy with strangers on public transport. No need for lycra or padding.  And best of all, no waiting - you’re in charge.”

“And in an age of persistent road congestion, climate change crisis and an increasingly overweight population, walking can provide a solution to all three at the same time.”

The service receives great feedback on a daily basis [4] and will be rolled out to all the UK’s major cities by the end of 2008.

ENDS

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NOTES

[1] The Derby launch has received support from Derby City Council and NHS Choices.

[2]

• 101 Most Useful Websites – Sunday Telegraph March 2008
• The 50 Best London Websites – Time Out February 2008
• Shortlisted for the Media Guardian Innovation Awards 2008
• Winner – TalkTalk Innovation in the Community Award 2007
• Highly Commended – National Energy Efficiency Awards 2007
• Most Original Business Concept – BT Essence of the Entrepreneur Competition 2007

[3] The service works best for an area within a 5km radius of the city centre.

[4] Example feedback (from existing cities)

May 4
• “What a brilliant site! On a trip to London, a friend and I were trying to work out whether we could physically manage the walk from Waterloo to the Florence Nightingale museum and then on to the V&A. Your site was the only one that gave the information that made us confident that we could do it (and feel very smug about the number of calories we had burned and CO2 saved). Will certainly be using you again. – Thank you”

May 2
• “This site is ace! Thanks a lot.”

May 1
• “Your site is really user friendly and very easy to use, wish you had more cities. Keep up the good work!”

April 30
• “I love this site – so useful and easy to use!”

April 29
• “The site is brilliant – thank you”

April 28
• “I’m organizing a group of 30 Girl Scouts visiting London for three days before going to Lincolnshire for an International Scout Camp.  walkit.com has been invaluable in providing maps, distances and estimated walking times for our London excursions.  Thank you VERY much!”

April 27
• “Wonderful! The first time I’ve been to London and not taken the tube or bus. You don’t realise how close things are until you see the mileage on the route. Thanks for the exercise. I hope that London tourism promotes your site as it's great. You also see more when walking. Thank you!”