Our council travel plan

Background and Objectives

As part of its role in encouraging the use of more sustainable modes of transport the County Council is required to produce a workplace travel plan. The travel plan is a co-ordinated strategy, which brings together transport and business issues and aims to reduce the impact of the car for both the journey to work and the journey at work. It is also a means of considering travel and transportation issues in the workplace.

The motivations behind the development of the County Council's travel plan are as follows:

• to reduce the environmental impact of the journey to work as part of the County Council's Environmental Management System
• as part of County Council policy with regard to reducing the impact of the car
• the need to assess the impact of reduced car-parking provision as a result of development proposals
• the responsibility of the County Council to take a lead in the promotion of sustainability
• as part of the local authority's role in the Local Agenda 21 process

Preparation

A joint working party of both members and officers has been set up to develop and implement the travel plan. Initial travel surveys were undertaken in July 1998 followed by a snapshot travel survey in December 2000 which was been used to update previous figures and to get a clearer picture of current trends.

Existing measures

Following on from this earlier work and more recently, a number of measures have already been implemented which contribute to the overall objectives of the Travel Plan:

• Tele-working centres - Ampthill, Houghton Regis, Biggleswade, Jan 1998 & April 1999
• County Hall home-working pilot extended to include 'more flexible working'
• New cycle stands at County Hall - June 2000
• County Hall pool bike scheme - June 2000
• Installation of shower facility - May 2001
• Readily available timetable information
• Awareness raising
• Trial of alternative fuels - Chairman's car & courier vehicle 
• An increase in the cycling rate for journeys at work to 20 pence per mile
• Interest free loans for the purchase of bicycles, up to a maximum of 750
• Interest free loans for the purchase of rail season tickets
• Bedfordshire County Council car sharing scheme

Increased Choice

The Travel Plan is about broadening choice for the way we travel. We need to put in place a range of practical alternatives for work related journeys. If everyone makes a small change, together we can make a difference.

Location

The County Council (and it's partners) is still a major employer, with approximately 850 employees working at County Hall(May2001). Other main locations include the Social Services offices in the Kingsway, Bedford and Russell House at Ampthill.

County Hall is within walking distance of both rail and bus stations, with adjacent bus stops served by Stagecoach United Counties.

Staff Travel 2000

Thanks to the 2000 travel survey we are now have a more up to date picture of staff travel patterns.

At the time, over 77% of respondents across the County travel to work by car, 5% by bicycle, 11% by foot and 5% by bus.

Responses specifically from County Hall staff revealed that although 80% travel to work by car, over 12% of these are car sharers.

Information on distances travelled has showed us that many staff live quite close to their place of work with nearly 30% of County Hall staff living up to 3 miles from work. However a significant proportion live within 10 to 25 miles and so if the Travel Plan is to increase choice then it must present realistic alternatives with something for everyone.

Targets

Part of our responsibilities as a local authority is to set targets upon which we are monitored by Central Government. The Travel Plan working group has agreed that a 5% reduction in both journeys at work and car alone journeys to work over the next 5 years is a realistic target for us to work towards. In order to achieve this we need to put measures in place that will lead to an increase in numbers of staff either walking, cycling, using public transport or car sharing for the journey to work.

Proposals

Short term measures: 

• Improved visitor information for County Hall to include walk, cycle and public transport links.

Long term measures 

• Improvements to bus and rail interchange facilities as part of the County's Integrated Transport Strategy, (LTP 2001/2)

Under consideration

•  Possible trial introduction of pool cars.
• Discounted tickets for local bus and rail services.

The role of the Local Authority

As part of their role in encouraging others to develop Travel Plans, Bedfordshire and it's district authorities already require applications for major development proposals (and many others) to include a Travel Plan.

Schools are also being encouraged to develop travel plans as the school run is proven to be a major contributor to peak hour congestion.

The County also has a role in providing support and advice for employers with a requirement to develop a Travel Plan. The County Council has established a Travel for Work Forum in partnership with the districts and interested employers in order to facilitate the uptake of Travel Plans Countywide.

Over the last year the composition of staff working for the County Council has changed through the new Partnership arrangements. Hyder Business Services are already committed to the principles of a Travel Plan as part of that partnership agreement and it is important all our partners are part of the process.

What next?

We will continue to implement measures to improve choice for work based journeys and will be undertaking a new snapshot survey of staff travel patterns in the Spring of 2003. Targets for the implementation of long-term measures associated with the Local Transport Plan are set out within that plan.

Your views

If you have any comments about the Travel Plan could you please direct them to:

Ann Rowland
Principal Sustainable Transport Officer
Environment

County Hall
Cauldwell Street
Bedford
MK42 9AP

Tel: (01234) 228344