Renfrewshire Council launched its Not Far? Leave the Car campaign in March 2022 as part of its commitment to active travel and its drive to meet its climate change aims. The campaign rewards people in Renfrewshire for walking, cycling and using public transport, with discounts and prizes at local Renfrewshire businesses. It is being provided through the free BetterPoints app and has been funded by the Scottish Government.

The campaign now has nearly 1,000 members, and you are encouraged to sign up if you haven’t done so already and to encourage others across Renfrewshire to take part. The campaign is also being promoted through the Beat the Street game currently running in Paisley, which is supporting young people, their parents and carers, and the community to get active.

A recap of Not Far? Leave the Car

You can earn points by walking, wheeling, cycling or using public transport for your journeys – basically any journey that leaves the car at home.

You can use these points to collect vouchers or discounts from more than 125 local businesses in Renfrewshire – including cafes, restaurants, hairdressers, jewellers and more.

It’s a great way to support local businesses while getting healthier.

You can also donate your points to charities like St Vincent’s Hospice, ACCORD Hospice or the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

What’s going on at the moment?

16-22 September is TravelWise Week and there’s £1,300 worth of prizes on offer, including a European city break.

Eurostar top prize

Everyone who tracks a car-free trip over a mile on three days between Thursday 22 September and Wednesday 5 October – and takes a short survey to opt in – will go into the draw for a £500 travel and accommodation voucher from Eurostar, plus £300 of spending money. The winner will be announced on Thursday 6 October

Refer a friend

There are three weekly prizes of 100,000 BetterPoints (£100!) and every friend you refer, up to ten per week, will earn you an entry into the draws during September.

Car Free Day

Every car-free trip of over a mile on Thursday 22 September will earn an entry into the draw for one of two prizes of 50,000 BetterPoints.

Get involved

You can download the free BetterPoints app from Renfrewshire Council’s website.

As soon as you’re registered, you can start earning points and discounts.

Image: Getty Images

Renfrewshire Council has provided the following information about events in Renfrewshire to mark the death of The Queen and the accession of King Charles.

The provost’s statement marking the death of Her Majesty The Queen was published on the council’s social media channels and website on the evening of 8 September, shortly after the Palace announcement.

Books of condolence opened at 9:00 am on the morning of 9 September and are available for the public to sign at Renfrewshire House in Paisley, Johnstone Town Hall, Renfrew Town Hall and Tweedie Hall in Linwood, from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Saturday. Residents can also sign the online book of condolence on the Royal Family website.

Flags would be flown at half-mast at Renfrewshire House in Paisley, Houstoun Square in Johnstone and Renfrew Town Hall, until Saturday 10 September at 11 am, when flags would be raised to full mast to mark the Principal Proclamation of The King, which was due to take place at St James’s Palace in London.

The local Proclamation ceremony will take place at the flagpoles outside Renfrewshire House on Sunday 11 September at 12.30 pm. This is a public event, which will be led by Sean Murphy, temporary Sheriff Principal of North Strathclyde, and attended by Provost Cameron and Colonel Peter McCarthy, Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire. Flags will then be flown at half-mast until after the state funeral of The Queen.

Anyone who wishes to leave floral tributes can do so in the square in the cloisters of Paisley Abbey and the council’s teams will ensure floral tributes placed at other locations in Renfrewshire are cared for and collected after the funeral.

All council services are continuing to operate as normal and the council will provide information on any changes to service when arrangements for public holidays relating to the state funeral are known.

Renfrewshire’s Provost Lorraine Cameron has expressed condolences on behalf of the people of Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire Council to the Royal Family following the death of Her Majesty The Queen. Flags are being lowered to half-mast at Renfrewshire House, Houstoun Square in Johnstone and Renfrew Town Hall.  

Renfrewshire Council has announced that books of condolence will be available from Friday 9 September at Renfrewshire House, Johnstone Town Hall, Renfrew Town Hall and Tweedie Hall, Linwood, from 09.00 to 17.00 Monday to Saturday. The council will share the link to the official online book of condolence when it becomes available. 

Following the success of the Beat the Street game in Renfrewshire in 2021, Renfrewshire Council’s active travel team has commissioned its return – and this time it’s in Paisley.

It was a huge success in Johnstone, Linwood, Lochwinnoch, Elderslie, Howwood, Bridge of Weir, Houston and Kilbarchan last time, with more than 6,300 people signing up and collectively they clocked up 53,100 miles in six weeks.

You can take part in the Paisley game at any point from 31 August to 12 October 2022. How to do this is explained below.

What is Beat the Street?

Paisley is being transformed into a giant game and you are invited to play!

Beat the Street is a free, fun, walking, wheeling and cycling game which gets communities, staff, pupils and their families out and about in the local area, having fun and being happy and healthy.

It’s designed to get children and communities moving by helping people to make small changes, such as walking or cycling to school or work, to improve physical and mental wellbeing and help embed physical activity into everyday life.

So far 1.5 million people and 4,500 schools have taken part in games across the UK and beyond.

How does it work?

Anyone can take part, with people over 13 being able to create their own account online.

All of our primary schools in Paisley are taking part – so if you’re a parent or carer, get ready to get your steps in!

To sign up yourself, you can collect your game materials (cards and maps) and instructions from one of our distribution points.

  1. Lagoon Leisure Centre – 11 Christie Street, Paisley PA1 1NB
  2. Morrisons – Falside Road (near Neilston Road) PA2 6JE
  3. Ferguslie Park Community Library – Blackstoun Road, Paisley PA3 1NT –
  4. Foxbar Library – 72 Ivanhoe Road, Paisley, PA2 0LA,
  5. Glenburn Library – Fairway Ave, Paisley PA2 8DX
  6. Tesco Express/Esso Filling Station – Renfrew Road
  7. Keystore – 4 New Inchinnan Road, PA3 2PP
  8. Paisley Gilmour Street Station

Game card readers called “Beat Boxes” are positioned around Paisley. You use your contactless game card to hover over these Beat Boxes as they travel around scoring points which sit on their individual and school leaderboards.

Once registered, how do you play?

  • Register your card online at www.beatthestreet.me/paisley.
  • Explore your local area using the online or paper map to find Beat Boxes.
  • Hover your card at the contactless Beat Box until it beeps and flashes.
  • Visit two Beat Boxes within an hour and collect 10 points for each
  • Score 10 points for every extra Beat Box you visit.

Need help?

For more information, visit www.beatthestreet.me/paisley.