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Home > Transport and streets > Travel plans > Workplace travel plans

Transport and streets

 

Workplace travel plans

As part of its commitment to encourage the use of more sustainable modes of transport the County Council is continuing it's work on the promotion of Green Travel initiatives across the County.

This includes the development of travel plan as a means of considering travel and transportation issues in the workplace. The travel plan is a co-ordinated strategy, which brings together transport and business issues and typically aims to reduce the impact of the car for both the journfey to work and the journey at work.

The County Council is working with other employers in the county to develop their travel plans whilst also continuing the development of a travel plan for it's own staff.

The motivations for individual travel plans will vary; those 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

A joint working party of both members and officers has been set up to develop and implement the travel plan and a number of initiatives have already been implemented at County Hall that contribute to the overall objectives of the plan. These include:

  • the development of flexible working practices for staff and the establishment of Telephone e-working centres 
  • the improvement and expansion of cycle storage facilities at County Hall 
  • the establishment of a pool of bikes at County Hall to be used for short work trips 
  • awareness raising and promotion of cycling and walking through initiatives such as green transport week, bike week and the green commuter lottery 
  • the development of a network of walking and cycling routes through the County Council Local Transport Plan
  • the use of a gas powered vehicle as part of the County's courier service
  • the use by the chairman of the County Council of a gas powered car

Other areas that are being investigated include:

  • the development of a car sharing scheme for employees
  • increased mileage allowance for cyclists on work related journeys
  • interest free loans for cycle and season ticket purchase
  • the installation of showers at County Hall

Travel Plans and Local Business

Other employers within Bedfordshire who are also developing their own travel plans include the Health Authority, Bedford Hospital NHS Trust and the Benefits Agency.

The motivations for these travel plans are primarily because of their statutory responsibilities but in the case of the Hospital Trust this includes their obligation as part of a planning pre-requisite. The Bedfordshire Area Health Authority is motivated by the need to consider the travel impact of amalgamating their regional offices and the impact of parking restrictions.

Work is taking place at District level to encourage employers to develop travel Plans, notably at Mid Beds where a survey of employers at the Stratton Business Park in Biggleswade has recently taken place. At Mid Beds, officers are also developing their own green travel plan in response to a requirement to consider the amalgamation of their two existing offices to one central location.

It is important for any future development proposals to include a requirement for employers to produce travel plans and this has been taken up with development proposals for the Millbrook Proving Ground and also for employers planning to locate at the planned Elstow Garden Village. Other major employers who have successfully developed their own plans include the RSPB at Sandy and Vauxhall Motors in Luton.

In addition then to the continuing development of their own travel plan the County Council will be looking to increase the uptake of travel plans within Bedfordshire by working with employers with an interest in green issues or those with a specific requirement to develop travel plans.

For more information on County Council policy with regard to travel plans please see the Local Transport Plan for Bedford, Market Towns and Rural Areas 2001/2-2005/6, also available on this web site.

Alternatively contact Ann Rowland, Bedfordshire's Green Travel Co-ordinator at County Hall.

Telephone (01234) 228344.

Other useful sources of information include:

A Travel Plan Resource Pack for Employers. Free from the ETSU helpline.

Telephone: 0800 585794.

Developed as part of the Governments Energy Efficiency and Best Practise programme.

Department for Transport
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DR

Tel: Enquiry Helpdesk on, 020 7944 8300
The helpdesk is open between 8.30am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday.

Fax: 020 7944 9643

Local Transport 

Changing journeys to work. An employers' guide to green commuter plans.

Transport 2000
Walkden House
10 Melton St.
London
NW1 2EJ

Tel: 0207 388 8386

Association of Commuter Transport (ACT)|
Glenthorne House
Hammersmith Grove
London
W6 0LG

An association for employers and a source of advice and information on travel plans.

 
 
County Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford MK42 9AP. Telephone (01234) 363222 Fax: (01234) 408034 Email: bedsonline@bedscc.gov.uk|