The NW Bicester project is being developed by A2Dominion, which is teaming up with ultra-low emission vehicle leasing company Fleetdrive Electric to encourage sustainable travel choices at NW Bicester.

The aim is to get some 10% of residents switching to ULEVs by 2017.

These initiatives include subsidised electric vehicles (EVs) for champions within the community to share their experiences of using EVs, pop-up neighbourhood test drive events and “try before you buy” flexible leasing options through Fleetdrive Electric.

As well as boasting an electric car club, car charging points will be available communally and optionally available to all homes on the first Exemplar phase. Cycle stores will come as standard for each home and the development will have safe, segregated cycle-ways and pedestrian routes linking directly into the town’s existing network.

The partnership is being launched at a special event on Thursday 26 February at the John Paul II Centre in Bicester that will enable Bicester stakeholders and residents to find out more and also test-drive a range of ultra-low emission electric vehicles including the Tesla Model S, BMW i8 and i3, Audi e-tron, VW e-Up!, e-Golf, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Nissan LEAF.

Louise Caves, strategic partnership manager for NW Bicester, said: ‘Travel accounts for some 32% of a typical UK carbon footprint with private car use alone accounting for 18% of this. As lead developers of the UK’s first eco town, A2Dominion is committed to shaping a range of options and initiatives designed to encourage people’s choice of travel to be as environmentally friendly as their home.

‘We’ve planned for a range of alternative modes of travel to minimise CO2 emissions and enable residents to make sustainable transport choices and built features into the design to make travel by foot, public transport, bike or electric car an easy option.’