Travel Plans

Introduction
Components of a Travel Plan
Alternative Modes of Transport
Further Information and Guides


Introduction

A Travel Plan (also known as Green Commuter Plan or Travel to Work) is a package of practical measures, tailored for any given business, which ease the problems and costs, and reduce the environmental impact of travel. A plan will include a range of those actions most suitable to that site or business, and most likely to be feasible and attractive to employees.

FACT
Travel plans save money

FACT
Travel plans are not just about getting on your bike

The following are just some of the problems associated with road transport, and they all involve costs - both financial and human:

• Lateness - in getting to work
• Lateness - in delivering/receiving products or services
• Shortage of convenient parking
• Loss of space for other activities to parking provision
• Pollution and poor health through vehicle emissions
• Loss of land to roads
• Injuries and deaths through accidents

It is not difficult to prepare a plan!

Travel Plans should cover:

  • Commuter journeys
  • Business Travel
  • Visitors
  • Deliveries/contractors
  • Fleet vehicles

Components of a Travel Plan

  • Full senior management support really makes a difference.
  • Site assessment/ Staff Travel Survey/ audits - to identify current travel behaviour and to find out what people would be prepared to do. Use our Survey of current car use.
  • Objectives - the objectives must provide focus and direction, link with environmental initiatives and explain the benefits for the individual, the department, the environment and the community.
  • Comprehensive package of measures ('carrots' and 'sticks') - introduce incentives first, but disincentives are likely to be needed to bring about change. Not everyone's travel behaviour is the same so you will need to ensure that a range of measures are provided to appeal to as many people as possible.
  • Allocated staff time - a co-ordinator should be appointed to drive the plan forward.
  • Staff involvement - all employees should be involved and staff/ visitors with particular mobility needs should be recognised.
  • Marketing - both of the travel plan itself and of specific measures.
  • Targets - with specific dates for their achievement.
  • Monitoring procedures - identify who will be responsible for monitoring, when the monitoring will occur, what will be measured and how the results will be disseminated and fed into the review process.
  • Written travel plan (These sections do not need to be very long!):
    1. Background (organisation's site(s) - location, numbers of people etc)
    2. Objectives
    3. Scope of Plan
    4. Actions
    5. Marketing of Plan
    6. Targets
    7. Monitoring Methods
    8. Dissemination of information and results.

Staff will need to be assured that the travel plan is not anti-car (some people have no alternative to using a car) but is a means of providing more choice of travel options. You should also promote the notion to staff that even small changes from individuals will help.

Alternative Modes of Transport

For information on alternative modes of transport, follow the links below:

Further Information and Guides
The Action Energy Programme has a range of guides, case studies and information on how to set up and run travel plan networks, providing simple, easy to follow advice. You can download the guides from the web-site, or have it sent to you (free) - telephone on 0800 585794.

The Travel Plans Team of Oxfordshire County Council is involved with road safety and "sustainable" transport. This group supports some businesses in preparing Green Commuter Plans.
Contact: James Drew (Team Leader), 01865 815955.

DFT Information - this is a helpful step-by step guide to travel plans for employers.

Environmental Transport Association can provide guidance for individuals and fleets.

Transport tip:
One company has started a green transport lottery - on one (random) day each week, all employees are asked how they travelled to work. All those that travelled by an "environmentally preferable" means, enter a £10 lottery. If everyone travelled in a non-shared car, the £10 rolls over for the next week!

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