Welcome To Wirral

• What is a Travel Plan?
• Why have a Travel Plan?
• What are the benefits of a Travel Plan?
• What are the options available?
• How do I get a Travel Plan?
• Managing the Travel Plan
• What can we do for you?

 

What is a Travel Plan?

Travel Plans are a way for organisations to manage commuter journeys and business patterns more effectively. They are:

• a package of measures that support all aspects of an organisations transport needs and respond to any problems that may be occurring;
• commonly introduced in response to concerns about growing traffic congestion or where car parking problems exist;
• required to support planning applications for new development;
• a means of increasing travel choice and reducing single occupancy car trips;

By implementing a Travel Plan you can address several transport issues: commuting, business travel, fleet management, business deliveries and transport contracts. They help provide sustainable alternatives to make it easier for people to travel improve their health and reduce traffic impacts on the environment. Many organisations in Britain are adopting this approach. Across Merseyside private companies, Local Authorities, hospitals and Government Agencies are all developing Travel Plans.

Why have a Travel Plan?

At peak times about 80% of cars have only one person in them. Road journeys are becoming slow and unreliable. Car dependency is now at such a level that resultant problems, affecting health, the environment and the economy, are being addressed as a matter of urgency. Effects at a local level are poor air quality, noise and busy roads. Global effects include climate change and resultant problems like flooding. The Government White Paper 'A New Deal for Transport' (1998) aimed to alter the future of how we get around. The Transport 10-year plan published in July 2000 set out clear policies on reducing car use. Because cars have been so incorporated into our culture, the systems that we have in place often make it easy to use the car and much more difficult to see the alternatives. Having recognised that we need to halt the growth in road traffic, organisations are adopting new approaches that reduce reliance on the car.

A Travel Plan is not anti-car but aims for less car use to benefit everyone, including those who have to drive. Emphasis is on providing choices to enable a healthy transport diet.

Health

Traffic fumes increase respiratory problems like asthma - up to 24,000 people die prematurely in Britain every year as a result of traffic related air pollution. Driving, even for short journeys makes drivers more stressed and less active, increasing the risk of heart disease and strokes. In Merseyside alone, around 10,000 people are involved in road traffic accidents each year.

Environment

Over 21 million cars on our roads are making a huge contribution to global warming - greenhouse gas emissions from road transport are rising faster than any other source. Locally, high traffic volumes and congestion affect air quality. Traffic also contributes to the break up of communities and reduction of local services like banks and shops etc.

Economy

A poor environment fails to attract investment, reducing business opportunities. Over-reliance on the car means it is not always the most efficient method of transport. Car journeys are taking up more of our time and congestion is estimated to cost business over £20 billion a year. The recognition of the benefits of Travel Plans to business and the wider community is demonstrated by their increasing use in land use planning and transport management through Section 106 Planning Agreements.

Part of the solution is a Travel Plan - a package of practical measures developed by employers and employees with the aim of reducing car dependency and encouraging the use of sustainable modes of transport. The plan can include improved bicycle facilities, car sharing schemes, support for public transport or changes in parking provision. Success depends on management support and commitment, good communication, a thorough employee questionnaire, a wide range of initiatives and regular monitoring.

What are the benefits of a Travel Plan?

Travel Plans can provide real benefits to employers, employees, visitors, the community and the environment. These include:

• reducing the amount of car parking provision required, saving money or releasing land for other uses, e.g. cycle racks
• financial benefits from effective travel management, including review of current car travel subsidies;
• enhancing the staff recruitment package
• enhancing the organisations business image and public profile
• reducing congestion in and around sites/ complexes making access easier for everyone and helping reduce accidents
• promoting health within the workforce, whereby expanding travel choices can cut down driver stress and improve the fitness of those who walk and cycle
• improving productivity from a healthier workforce and reducing sickness levels/ costs
• contributing towards staff motivation and encouraging team building
• improving pedestrian, cycle and public transport facilities for the whole community
• improving public transport and reducing congestion around the workplace and in the local community
• demonstrating your organisations positive commitment to lessening environmental damage
• satisfying the demands of planning requirements
• employees gaining from financial incentives and deals due to alternative travel choices being provided.

What are the options available?

Many initiatives can be introduced in a Travel Plan, including the following measures:

• walking - signposted routes/ route maps/ well-lit and maintained paths/ changing and showering facilities/ lockers
• cycling - signposted routes/ route maps/ well-lit and maintained paths/ changing and showering facilities/ lockers
• motorcycles/ mopeds - signposted routes/ well-lit and maintained paths/ changing and showering facilities/ lockers
• car-sharing - supportive database/ allocated car parking spaces
• greater use of public transport - information/ tickets and financial incentives/ services
• pool vehicles (cycles, cars and vans) - rota system or freely available
• car park management - allocation of spaces/ charging
• greening the fleet - conversion programmes/ driver training/ efficiency technology
• flexible working practices - technology/ guidance/ working arrangements;

How do I get a Travel Plan?

Before you decide what measures and initiatives are most appropriate for your organisation, you need to understand your organisations current travel patterns and how transport is affecting you now. You can do this by carrying out a site assessment, a survey of employee travel patterns and an audit of other related travel. An accurate picture of travel patterns and an understanding of the factors that influence a person's choice of travel will be reached. The involvement of keen and enthusiastic individuals will ensure the completion of the work.

Firstly, an assessment of your sites current transport infrastructure and systems along with transport subsidies is required. Issues that could be looked at include:

• how many car parking places you have and for whom they are designated
• what cycle/ motorcycle parking there is
• location of local public transport stops, services, routes and pedestrian access to them
• availability and condition of changing, showering and storage facilities for cyclists
• level of car mileage allowances
• what information is provided to new employers/ visitors about access to and from sites;

Secondly, undertake an employee questionnaire that seeks to highlight/ identify how your employees currently travel to work, their opinions on transport, and which Travel Plan measures they consider will be most effective for your organisation. Plus, it presents an opportunity to raise awareness of the initiative.

Thirdly, once you have collated all the survey information, you can begin to design and implement measures and initiatives that are best suited to your organisation. The initial measures should focus upon encouragement, making alternatives to driving more attractive, promoting car-sharing and supporting those who do not drive. Restrictive measures, such as reducing parking provision will be necessary though to achieve wider success. Initiatives that save time and money are the most likely to influence people's travel behaviour. A good Travel Plan will incorporate a wide variety of measures over time to attract different people. Merseyside TravelWise is always willing to offer advice and make suggestions for your plan. Issues to consider:

• what are your working practices for new and existing employees?
• working hours and opportunity for homeworking/ hotdesking/ teleworking?
• the relationship of transport to your environmental management system?
• alternative choices for business trips and the encouragement of public transport use
• current provision of mileage allowance rates for cycles compared to cars, coupled to enhanced route planning?
• current provision of loan and subsidy schemes for public transport season tickets and cycle purchases?
• number of on-site parking spaces available, and policy/ criteria for priority parking?
• encouragement of car-sharing
• parking facilities for cycles/ motorcycles
• fleet vehicles and their efficiency and emission levels;

Finally, monitoring progress of your scheme is very important. You will need to understand the effect the measures are having, which approaches have been cost effective, and what success have been made. Survey data will establish baseline figures to enable realistic targets to be set in the plan and to measure actual change over time.

Managing the Travel Plan

There are three main requirements for managing the Ravel Plan, these are:

Support

Commitment to the Travel Plan from senior management should be demonstrated from the outset. Leading by example is always effective, and can be achieved by personal action and participation within project groups. It is important for everyone to understand from an early stage the need for a Travel Plan and that it will benefit everyone - it is not anti-car, it is about using cars more wisely.

Resources

Travel Plan measures are cost effective solutions to transport and parking management problems. Initial start-up costs may be offset for instance, by savings in car subsidies. Recent alterations to company car allowances and taxes on travel arrangements make Travel Plan measures even more financially attractive. Time is required from employees in order to prepare and implement a Travel Plan and it is useful to nominate an individual to co-ordinate the project and set-up an action group, which is responsible for taking the project further. In large organisations a nominated representative within each department may be on the action group and act as a point of contact.

Communication

There are many ways in which support and commitment for the project can be achieved. Ensuring the positive introduction of the subject is an important first step. Merseyside TravelWise can supply leaflets, posters and a display to help raise awareness of the issues and to stress the positive aspects of a Travel Plan. Effort will also have to be sustained throughout the implementation of the plan. Publicity of each measure will be required as it is introduced and ongoing encouragement and reminders to take actin will be needed. Some communication ideas are:

• newsletters/ magazines
• email/ intranet
• bulletin/ display boards
• travel fairs - providing information, advice and promoting special offers and new incentives
• PR events and publicising success
• employee recruitment information, and encourage new starters to travel sustainably
• questionnaires/ feedback sessions
• link to wider events - Bike 2 Work Day, Car Free Day, et al
• team briefings;

Key Stages to managing the project

Stage 1 - why do we need a Travel Plan?

Stage 2 - obtain senior management support

Stage 3 - set up an action team

Stage 4 - undertake staff travel survey and facilities audit

Stage 5 - devise specific aims, targets and objectives

Stage 6 - introduce a tailored package of measures for your organisation

Stage 7 - monitoring strategy

Stage 8 - review programme

N.B. marketing and communication needs to be incorporated into all stages of the Travel Plan process

What we can do for you?

Now that you have an understanding of what a Travel Plan is and what advantages they can bring to your employees, the organisation and the wider community, you will probably be wondering what help is out there to get you on your way. Merseyside TravelWise can help you at each and every stage of Travel Plan development. Some of the services they offer are:

• develop employee questionnaires and site audits to gather baseline information for the plan
• help interpret questionnaire results to get the shape of the plan and its targets
• geo code employee postcode information to highlight potential clusters for car-sharing, identify possible bus routes/ stops
• deliver presentations to employees and managers to state the case and gain commitment for introducing Travel Plans
• provide expertise and support throughout Travel Plan development and implementation
• provide links with colleagues in Local Authorities and organisations in your area to develop a Travel Plan forum, car-share, et al
• work with public transport and community transport operators to improve service delivery
• create individual journey planners for employees wishing to know the best way to get from home to workplace
• liase with colleagues in Merseytravel to improve public transport information and in some cases access to public transport
• advise on travel tickets and ticketing schemes available
• develop school travel plans and walking bus initiatives at local schools to reduce congestion and increase children health and safety
• advise employees on designated cycling/ walking routes in the area
• organise cycle rides for families and people wishing to build up cycling confidence and fitness
• promote health benefits of cycling and walking.

However, if there is something that you think is missed out or you are not sure of please do not hesitate to contact them and we can investigate and/ or suggest further sources of help and advice.