Environment

Recyclebank and Transport for London Launch re:route to Reward People for Walking and Cycling in London

May 8, 2012 2:00 PM ET
Campaign: National Partnerships
re:route, Recyclebank’s new mobile app supported by Transport for London (TfL), encourages Londoners to walk and cycle more with exclusive reward offers while helping members to reduce pollution, ease transit congestion and boost their fitness in the process.

(3BL Media) New York and London - May 8, 2012 -  Recyclebank®, the company that rewards people for taking everyday green actions with discounts and deals from local and national businesses, today announced the launch of its mobile app, re:route, which is supported by Transport for London (TfL). The app encourages people to walk and cycle more in London with exclusive offers for members signed up to the app. re:route members will help reduce pollution, ease congestion and boost their fitness in the process.

This brand-new mobile app incentivizes people to think differently about the way that they travel — swapping the car for a bike, or walking and cycling rather than making short journeys via public transportation. Members will be able to collect points for every journey made, which can then be redeemed for a wide range of offers and discounts from U.K.-based Recyclebank partners including Marks & Spencer, Planet Organic, Champneys and many more. In addition to helping to reduce congestion on the roads and public transport in London, re:route aims to become part of Londoners’ daily routine to help encourage a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle. re:route also alerts people to the number of calories that they have burned and the amount of CO2 they have saved for each journey.

“We’re excited to launch re:route with support from TfL,” said Jonathan Hsu, chief executive officer for Recyclebank. “For generations, cities have developed a myriad of solutions for the many physical aspects of urban living: architecture, transportation, water, utilities and public spaces. What’s exciting about a next-generation city like London is that they are forward looking — seeking ideas to help connect physical and digital infrastructure and increasingly focused on the use of information and technology to create smarter, cleaner and better cities.”

re:route takes the digital assets that already exist for London’s transport network to create a digital platform that deepens and broadens user engagement while helping London achieve important sustainability goals through the development of smarter infrastructure.

“TfL is supporting re:route because it supports our wider efforts to encourage more people to consider cycling and walking as quick and convenient ways of getting around the city. More people cycling and walking will help to reduce congestion on our roads and on our busy public transport network,” said Ben Plowden, director of planning for TfL Surface Transport. “An initiative like re:route is a great way to help TfL achieve these goals. We’re particularly excited about the potential for this app to motivate people to cycle and walk during the London 2012 Olympic Games, when London’s roads and public transport network will be at their busiest.”

How re:route Works

After downloading the free iPhone app and signing up for a free Recyclebank account, users enter their journey into re:route and see different travel options, including walking, cycling with their own bike or with London’s Barclays Cycle Hire bikes and by public transportation.

After arriving at the destination, users earn five Recyclebank points and are shown the number of calories they have burned and how much CO2 they’ve saved by taking the alternative modes of transportation. Members can check out the different rewards available directly on re:route or by visiting the Recyclebank website, where they can redeem their points for exclusive rewards.

Other top features let members:

  • Connect and sign-in with Facebook and then share walking and cycling journeys with friends instantly;
  • Check the number of bikes and spaces available at Barclays Cycle Hire docking stations before making their route decision (screenshot here: http://bit.ly/JLQlBl);
  • See updated local weather forecasts to help inform their route decision (screenshot here: http://bit.ly/ISsaBk); and
  • Save regular journeys for easy and quick starting of routes (screenshot here http://bit.ly/IHVfUs).

“We’ve worked hard to make re:route an easy-to-use app so that people can easily travel around London on foot or on bike, and get rewarded for it,” said Hsu. “Although this app will be hugely useful during the Olympic Games to make it easier for people to seek alternative methods to get across London, we believe that re:route will become part of a Londoner’s daily routine as it gives them a fantastic experience, with desirable rewards at all times.”

Additional Resources

ABOUT RECYCLEBANK

Recyclebank® helps create a more sustainable future by rewarding people for taking everyday green actions with discounts and deals from more than 3,000 local and national businesses. Through its online platform and partnerships with municipalities, haulers, small businesses and corporate brands, Recyclebank is empowering individuals to make a collective impact on the environment by increasing household recycling, reducing household energy usage and taking other environmentally-preferred actions. A Certified B Corporation, Recyclebank has been recognized as a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, a Champion of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Programme and for Outstanding Excellence in Public/Private Partnerships from the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Recyclebank is headquartered in New York City. For more information, visit www.Recyclebank.com.

ABOUT TfL

Transport for London (TfL) operates the Capital’s transport system on behalf of the Mayor of London. This includes London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, London Overground, buses, trams and river services. It also manages the city’s major roads, the Congestion Charge, Oyster ticketing, regulates taxi and private hire trade, and promotes walking and cycling initiatives.