Your practical guide to creating a Travel Plan for your organisation
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BUS
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Your practical guide to
creating a Travel Plan for your
organisationAll text © Scottish Government, 2008, unless otherwise stated. ISBN: 978-0-7559-1719-8 Editor: John Wallace Design: Union Advertising Agency
Be Prepared to Choose Another Way
Contents
Ministerial Foreword 05
one Introduction 06
Why Create a Travel Plan? 09
About This Document 11
two The Travel Planning
Process 12
Travel Planning Process Overview 13
Securing Senior Management Support 15
Defining Roles and Responsibilities 17
Surveying the Current Situation 19
Defining Objectives 22
Setting Targets 24
Identifying and Implementing Measures 25
Monitoring Progress 26
Reviewing and Reporting 27
Marketing and Promotion 28
three Encouraging
Alternatives -
Practical Measures 30
Smarter Working - reducing the need for travel 33
Measures to Encourage Walking 36
Measures to Encourage Cycling 38
Measures to Encourage Public Transport Use 40
Measures to Encourage Responsible Car Use 42
Business Travel 46
4 Further Information 48Foreword Welcome to Choose Another Way.
Transport plays a crucial productivity and improving
role in our daily lives and staff welfare. In addition,
the economic well-being Travel Plans can directly
of Scotland. Transport, contribute to your corporate
and in particular how social responsibility agenda
we travel, make vital and to organisational
contributions to this development, through
Governmentʼs commitments initiatives such as the Eco-
to the economy, health, Management and Audit
the environment and Scheme, Healthy Working
communities through Lives Awards and Investor In
the strategic objectives People accreditation.
of Wealthier and Fairer,
Healthier, Greener, and Safer Travel Planning presents
and Stronger. opportunities for
organisations across all
Travel Planning can also sectors to increase efficiency
help Scotland to play its part and contribute to a more
in tackling the global issue sustainable future for
that is climate change by everyone. Having a Travel
reducing carbon emissions. Plan shows leadership, as
an employer and as a public
You may already have organisation. Public sector
Experience has measures that encourage organisations should also
shown that more sustainable transport look to deliver a Travel Plan
choices in place, like car as it contributes towards
successful Travel sharing, cycle facilities or delivery on the Scottish
Plans do deliver salary sacrifice scheme for Climate Change Declaration,
bikes or season tickets. Best Value and this
change. Positive steps such as these Governmentʼs commitment
are to be congratulated, to promote and deliver flexi
but developing a formal and home working within
Travel Plan will give you the public sector.
the strategy and process
to monitor and implement Experience has shown that
a range of integrated successful Travel Plans do
measures and deliver the deliver change. Developing
maximum benefits for your a Travel Plan is not a
organisation, your staff and difficult task but they do
the wider community. require senior management
commitment and dedicated
Travel Planning will assist resources.
you in understanding the
needs of your staff, clients I hope that within these
and visitors, so that you pages, and through use of
can help them to reduce the supporting website www.
the need for travel and to chooseanotherway.com,
choose more sustainable you will find the guidance
means of transport when you need to help us meet
they do need to travel. It can the challenge of creating
deliver business advantage a greener, healthier and
5 by reducing costs, increasing wealthier Scotland.one
Introduction
An overview of the benefits of
Travel Plans and the reasons
why organisations develop themIntroduction Travel Plans can help reduce costs,
increase productivity, improve the
well-being of staff and will reflect
positively on your organisation’s
commitment to social and
environmental responsibility.
A Travel Plan is a package of such as a business park.
measures that are tailored For larger organisations,
to the transport needs of an overarching Travel Plan
individual sites. The overall can standardise measures
aim is to promote more across many sites for all
sustainable travel choices staff. In general, they are
and reduce reliance on the about providing choice and
car. encouraging a blend of
Walking could travel modes and working
replace those As an organisation you may patterns. They are also
already be doing a lot of the about introducing and
20% of all car right things - encouraging promoting a travel hierarchy
journeys that car-sharing, providing loans with walking, cycling and
are less than to purchase season tickets public transport at the top.
and using telephone or video
one mile - the conferencing in place of The important thing is to
equivalent of a face-to face meetings. make a range of alternative
options to car use available
20 minute walk. However, developing and and attractive, as well as
implementing a formalised supporting and encouraging
Travel Plan will allow your the decision to change.
organisation to reap the Measures should be tailored
maximum benefit from these to not only the site, but to
and other measures, with groups of individuals within
all the benefits that positive an organisation, providing
change in this area can a wide range of measures
bring. and options to suit everyone.
Cycling to work The Travel Plan should
Travel Planning is a dynamic inform the infrastructure
can save on car process that should develop requirements when
parking costs with time, adapting to the developing new sites.
changing circumstances of
- more than 6 your organisation and the Successful Travel Plans,
bikes can be environment in which it those that continue to be
parked in just works. It is not a one-off relevant to the organisationʼs
event to be undertaken and needs, are developed
one car space. completed or a document through consultation and
to be produced and put reviewed on a regular basis.
on a shelf. Rather, Travel They must have senior
Planning is a valuable management support,
management tool. a dedicated resource to
provide ongoing momentum
Plans can cover a single site (ideally a Travel Plan
7 or a cluster of organisations Co-ordinator) and clearobjectives and targets
that are monitored on
an ongoing basis. Where
possible, plans are best
delivered in partnership
with other organisations
and should incorporate
a communication and
marketing plan.
This guidance is intended
to give an overview of why
your organisation should
consider developing a
Travel Plan, highlighting
the benefits of introducing
one and providing you with
assistance in developing
your own Plan.
The amount of work and
level of detail in a Travel
Plan will be proportionate to
the size of the organisation.
Smaller organisations will
benefit from using this
framework on a less formal
basis, for example providing
information to customers
and suppliers on how to
access their sites by all
modes of transport or from
reducing business travel
expenses.
This document and the
supporting website -
www.chooseanotherway.
com - also describe many
measures that larger
organisations can benefit
from, which promote,
facilitate and encourage
more sustainable and active
travel.
8Why Create a Travel Planning makes sound
Travel Plan? business sense - no matter what
kind of activity your organisation is
engaged in. Even small organisations
and sole-traders can reduce
costs and improve productivity
by shifting to more sustainable
transport options.
Above all, Travel Planning can help safeguard
our environment, our health and our
communities.
Benefits to businesses and Demonstration of
other organisations corporate social
Here are just a few of the responsibility
ways in which organisations Having a good Travel
of all sizes can benefit from Plan shows leadership
Travel Planning: and demonstrates
your commitment to
Reduced transport costs environmental issues,
Regularly active With fuel costs rising, making your organisation
reducing transport more attractive to potential
employees overheads is becoming customers and new recruits.
take 27% fewer increasingly important for Promoting walking and
days sick leave, many organisations. cycling can also improve the
health of your employees
have improved Increased productivity and show that you take
productivity and Easing congestion around such issues seriously.
busy sites and reducing Meanwhile, a reduction in
higher morale. working time lost during traffic levels around your
at-work journeys boosts site can enhance your
Physical Activity Task Force,
2003
productivity. standing with neighbouring
communities and other
Reduced need for parking nearby organisations.
facilities
Travel Planning can help Environmental
you ease parking problems Accreditation
around your premises A Travel Plan will help in
Cyclists are more or remove the need for gaining environmental
expensive parking facilities accreditation such as
likely to arrive altogether. ISO14001 and help you meet
at work and Corporate Climate Change
Reduced absenteeism Commitments and Carbon
appointments Where staff shift to more Management Plans.
on time, as they active modes of transport
donʼt often get - walking or cycling - the Meeting planning
knock-on benefits to their obligations
stuck in traffic! health and well-being can When developing new or
also reduce rates of sickness existing sites - especially for
absence. larger proposals - having a
detailed Travel Plan in place
9 is often an essential part ofplanning applications. cycling.
Individuals may also save
Aiding staff recruitment time on commutes and
and retention enjoy more journeys without
Many measures that having to worry about
encourage more sustainable traffic. Environmentally
transport choices - such conscious individuals will
as flexible start and finish gain satisfaction from
times - have added side- knowing they have been
benefits for employees. Not able to reduce their carbon
least, they can help your emissions. Others may
employees save money appreciate an enhanced
and time. By making your work-life balance and the
premises more accessible, option to walk or cycle more
you may also widen the pool regularly a part of an active,
of potential recruits and healthy lifestyle.
attract and retain individuals
who value active travel as Environmental and
part of a healthy lifestyle. community benefits
In Scotland in 2005, we
Enhanced partnerships travelled over 43 billion
The process of developing road kilometres, accounting
and implementing a Travel for 19% of Scotlandʼs
Plan can help develop greenhouse gas emissions.
closer working relationships Reducing the need for travel,
Walking for half with neighbours, public and in particular reducing
transport operators and local dependence on the car, are
an hour uses an authorities. key to safeguarding the
average of 140 environment and protecting
Delivery on other all our futures.
calories, driving commitments
uses just 55. Travel Plans are also able Latest forecasts suggest
to help deliver on a number road traffic in Scotland
of other agendas including, will grow by 22% between
Equal Opportunities, 2005 and 2015 (figure
Sustainability, efficiency from Scotlandʼs National
savings, Health and Safety, Transport Strategy, Scottish
Investors in People and Executive, 2006). Doing
Healthy Working Lives. nothing to reduce traffic
could result in a number
Benefits to individuals of our communities
The benefits Travel Planning experiencing further
can bring to individuals are congestion, parking chaos,
considerable. By shifting noise and pollution.
away from the car and
walking or cycling for all or Conversely, Travel Planning
part of the way, people can can aid development of our
help improve their health public transport network,
and well-being. walking and cycling routes
to the benefit of everyone.
Sharing vehicles can reduce Reducing the need for all
wear and tear on private cars types of travel, especially
and save money on fuel and car use, promises a cleaner,
other running costs. The quieter, healthier and more
same can be true of using accessible future for all.
public transport, walking or
10About This This guidance outlines the key steps
Document in developing a Travel Plan but will
also be of value to those wishing
to encourage more sustainable
transport choices without a formal
Plan.
Chapter 2 provides a
detailed overview of the
steps involved in delivering a
Travel Plan, including advice
on effective monitoring and
promoting plans.
Chapter 3 discusses
the various types of
measures you may consider
implementing.
The Annex provides a
list of contacts that can
provide valuable additional
information.
Smaller organisations may
wish to use elements of this
guidance, especially Chapter
3, to implement measures
on a less formal basis.
Each section includes
guidance on the process,
and details of where to find
further information.
It can be either used as a
stand-alone document, or
you can use it in conjunction
with the guidance, case
studies and tools that
are available on the
supporting website www.
chooseanotherway.com
11two
date
about the
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BUS
PASS
The Travel
Planning Process
A step-by-step guide to
developing, implementing and
promoting a Travel PlanTravel The development of a Travel
Planning Plan divides into seven initial
Process stages, backed up by an ongoing
commitment to reviewing
Overview
and reporting progress and to
promoting and marketing the Plan.
The figure below illustrates the main stages of Travel Planning. The time taken to progress through each stage
of the process is something that will vary from organisation to organisation.
Step 1 Securing Senior Management Support
Step 2 Defining Roles and Responsibilities
Reviewing and Reporting
Step 3 Surveying the Current Situation
Marketing and Promotion
Step 4 Defining Objectives
Step 8
Step 5 Setting Targets
Step 6 Identifying and Implementing Measures
Step 7 Monitoring
The Travel Planning measurable targets set. A
Process variety of practical measures
Securing senior management to encourage a shift to
support is vital to the more sustainable transport
success of any Travel Plan, methods can then be
as is a clear identification of selected and implemented.
roles and responsibilities.
Once completed, the
Once a clear picture of success of the plan must
the current situation of be monitored and regularly
travel patterns within your reviewed against its defined
organisation, transport links objectives and targets and,
and other facilities has been where appropriate, adjusted
established, objectives for and updated in order for
13 the Plan can be defined and it to remain effective.The measures chosen to deliver results.
encourage more sustainable
travel options must also be Help, advice and the value
marketed and promoted of partnerships
to staff, clients and visitors There is lots of help
throughout the life of the available to you to help you
Travel Plan. develop and implement your
Travel Plan.
Delivering an effective Sources include:
Travel Plan
No matter how much time • Energy Saving Trust
you dedicate to developing • Regional Transport
your Travel Plan, the key is Partnerships
to ensure that it delivers the • Local Authorities
benefits intended. Travel • ACT Travelwise
Plans are site specific and
therefore different for each Your neighbours may share
organisation. many of the same problems
with transport and benefit
However, to be effective a from the same solutions.
Travel Plan must: There is therefore the
opportunity to work with
• have support from the each other to deliver more
highest level of your and make your Travel Plan a
organisation real success.
• be based on a recent
assessment of your
organisational travel
patterns
• set out clear objectives
and targets (or
indicators) that arise
from those objectives
• identify measures
aimed at meeting those
objectives
• implement the measures
it identifies
• actively promote its
chosen measures
through awareness-
raising and marketing
• outline a clearly
defined and consistent
monitoring programme
• contain a commitment
For details of helpful to future review and
organisations, turn to renewal and demonstrate
the Further Information
a commitment to its
section at the end of this
continuation
guide or visit the Tools
and Resources area of our
supporting website Results are, of course, what
www.chooseanotherway. matters and the long-term
com effectiveness of a Travel
Plan will ultimately be
determined by its ability to
14Step 1: It is essential that senior
Securing management are involved and
Senior support the Travel Plan from the
outset.
Management
Support
The importance of senior generate, please refer to
management support ʻWhy create a Travel Plan?ʼ in
Gaining management section one of this guide.
support secures leadership
for the Travel Plan, can help How much will it cost, and
secure a budget and raise how much staff time is
the priority of the Travel Plan required?
within the organisation. Costs will vary according
to the nature and size
When it comes to making of your organisation
challenging decisions and the measures you
on elements of the Plan, choose. Remember that
management support will implementation costs
also mean that messages may be spread between
can be communicated from departments (as may any
the highest level with Senior savings).
Management setting an
example for the rest of the The establishment
organisation to follow. This of partnerships with
could be simple things like neighbouring organisations
working from home one day may mean that staff time
a week and taking public and other resources
transport to meetings. for developing and
implementing the Plan can
Developing the business be pooled. The issue of staff
case time is discussed in Step 2:
First, identify the most Roles and Responsibilities.
appropriate person to
approach. This could What are the aims and
be your Chief Executive, objectives of the Travel
Finance Director or Human Plan?
Resources Director. In Identify some high-level
developing the business objectives. These could
case, the following questions be to reduce parking
should be answered: costs, promoting your
environmental policy or
Why is your organisation developing a healthier,
introducing a Travel Plan? more productive workforce.
Be clear about the potential Detailed objectives will
benefits of a Travel Plan be worked out at Step 4:
and how it meets your Defining Objectives.
organisations objectives and
values. For examples of the
15 benefits a Travel Plan canWhat measures will be
implemented?
At this stage, it will be
enough to give management
a flavour of the types of
measures that could be
introduced. Be realistic and
focus on those that have
the best chance of being
implemented. However, you
may want to take account
of longer-term aspirations
such as participation in
Environmental Management
and Audit Scheme like ISO
14001 accreditation.
Make it clear that choice of
measures to be implemented
can only be explored
in detail once current
travel patterns have been
surveyed and analysed at
Step 6: Identifying and
Implementing Measures.
16Step 2: The success of any Travel Plan
Defining depends on the support of all staff.
Roles and It is therefore vital to get everyone
Responsibilities involved – remember that this can
be fun!
This section explores how the allocation of roles
and responsibilities underpins the planning
process and helps ensure engagement with your
Plan’s objectives.
The importance of broad deliver and market it. In
engagement with the smaller organisations, the
Travel Planning process responsibilities of a Travel
Involving a broad range Plan Co-ordinator could
of people in the planning be adopted by an existing
process at an early stage member of staff.
will help promote a sense
of ownership over its aims A Travel Plan Co-ordinator
and objectives and provide should be well placed
a pool of support to draw within an organisation
on throughout the life of to further the aims of
the Plan. Doing so will also the Travel Plan. It is not
help stimulate thought and essential to have significant
debate around sustainable knowledge of the Travel
travel options among Planning process, however
employees. it is important that they
have good communication
Nominating a Travel skills, project management
Plan Co-ordinator and and marketing skill and
establishing a Steering good contacts with relevant
Group are fundamental to parties.
the process. Meanwhile,
fostering partnerships with For training and support in
other organisations will be Travel Planning, contact your
helpful in many cases. Local Authority, Regional
Transport Partnership or
Another useful step is to ACT Travelwise (see Further
establish Transport Mode Information for details).
Groups such as for people
who cycle or car-share or Steering Group
who wish to in the future. Having a Steering Group
will help ensure that
Travel Plan Co-ordinator wider views are taken into
This person (or persons) account, and assist the Co-
will have day-to-day ordinator in developing and
responsibility for running implementing the Travel
the Travel Plan and Plan. The Steering Group
provide the overall co- should have representatives
17 ordination required to from each departmentof the organisation and experience, comment on
from senior management. the Travel Plan, or provide
Collectively, they should suggestions on how their
have the range of skills and particular mode could be
experience to help the Travel encouraged within the Travel
Plan Co-ordinator. Having Plan.
representatives on the
Steering Group will also help The most common groups
departments take ownership. are: Bicycle User Groups,
Walking Action Groups,
Partnerships Public Transport User
Working in partnership Groups, Motorcycle User
with other organisations, Groups and Postcode Coffee
neighbours and staff is key Clubs.
to delivering a successful
Travel Plan. Consider Union representatives
entering into partnership and key departmental
with other organisations in staff
your area that are setting Union officials, Human
up, or thinking of setting up Resources, Payroll/Finance,
their own Travel Plan. Your Estate Manager, Fleet and
local authority and local bus Car Leasing department staff
operators should also be will have an essential role to
part of the partnership. play in all stages of the Plan.
Getting staff from these
Partnerships can assist areas on board will play a
with the development and crucial part in the future
implementation of Travel acceptance and take-up of
Plans: the Travel Plan.
• through the sharing of External supports
experiences and ideas Your Local Authority,
• through the pooling of Regional Transport
resources Partnership and Public
• by enabling a common Transport Operator(s) will
voice during negotiations be fully supportive of your
with transport providers, Travel Plan and should
local authorities and be contacted early in the
other relevant suppliers. planning process to discuss
how you can support each
Transport Mode Groups otherʼs aims. In some
Mode Groups enable the instances, they may be able
Travel Plan Co-ordinator to to provide you with specific
engage with staff, visitors assistance in implementing
and suppliers and build your Plan. At the same
partnerships to identify the time, early engagement
specific requirements for with local authorities
each mode of transport, as and transport providers
well as providing a mutual may make it possible
support network to share for your organisation to
ideas. Members can act as inform discussions around
advocates for that mode improvements to local travel
within the organisation, infrastructure and especially
while the Groups themselves new developments.
will provide forums in
which to discuss and share
18Step 3: To ensure that the measures
Surveying you choose to encourage more
the Current sustainable transport will work,
and in order to gauge the success of
Situation
your Travel Plan in the future, first
you must establish a clear picture of
how people and materials travel at
present and what facilities already
exist.
Conducting a site and ticket costs
assessment • The number, location and
A site assessment will land value of car parks
provide an overview of
Help in conducting a site transport links serving your Surveying staff travel
assessment site and of on-site facilities. patterns
Strathclyde Partnership It should also tell you how A questionnaire-based
for Transport has easy it is for staff, visitors survey will establish a
produced a range of and suppliers to access your baseline of the ways in which
downloadable site site by various means. people currently travel -
audit and travel survey the ʻmodal splitʼ. This will
templates - visit www. You may also use this as an then be used to monitor
spt.co.uk/travelplanning/ opportunity to determine the success of the Travel
downloads.html
staff opinions on the barriers Plan. Your questionnaire
that prevent them from should be based on the
Your local transport
operators will be able walking, cycling, car sharing information gained from
to help with queries or using public transport. your site assessment and
regarding service You can also start engaging audit. Consider also what
routes, ticket costs and with visitors and suppliers information you want to get
frequencies. and begin to raise awareness from your survey.
that your organisation has
Living Streets can identified problems and is The core set of questions
provide you with a attempting to tackle them. should cover:
specialist audit of walking
facilities at your site - The following should be • the starting point for
visit www.livingstreets. considered: their journey (best
org.uk
captured by postcode)
• The number, condition, • the way they travel to
Cycling Scotland operate
a Cycle Friendly Employer
signage and directness and from work (car, bus,
Award scheme, the of walking and cycling cycle etc.)
resource pack contains routes from residential • the different stages in
much useful guidance areas, bus stops, rail their trip to work
on site assessments stations and car parks as • working patterns and
for cycling - visit www. well as local facilities like place of work
cyclingscotland.org shops • age, gender and
• The level of storage disability
Sustrans can provide facilities for cycles,
maps detailing links showers and lockers Tips for conducting a
to the National Cycle • The level of existing staff travel survey
Network - visit www. public transport services Be aware that the phrasing
sustrans.org.uk
and facilities at your of questions can yield
site(s), and associated different answers - e.g.
19 timetable information “How did you travel to worktoday?” versus “How do you a specialist company to
regularly travel to work?”. analyse your data.
Keep the questionnaire as You may also consider
short as possible. postcode mapping. By
mapping respondents that
Be sure to avoid ambiguity are, for example, willing
and unnecessary jargon. to try using the bus or to
share their car, a map can
Give assurances that you will be constructed that can
maintain confidentiality. help you determine the
demand for new routes, or
Include a named contact for indicate potential matches
queries - e.g. that of the for car sharing. Staff
Travel Plan Coordinator. home postcodes should be
available from your Human
Test the questionnaire Resources department - for
with a pilot group first to this type of mapping you will
highlight any shortcomings. not need individual names or
specific addresses.
Consider the suitability
of different distribution Acknowledging existing
methods - e.g. printed or policies
online. To develop your Travel Plan,
you will need to understand
Make the questionnaire the general conditions
as easy to complete as of employment for your
possible. organisation. There may
already be, for example:
Consider a covering letter
from senior management. • existing policies
regarding travel to and
In order to encourage from work
responses, consider a prize • rules for business travel
draw for respondents. • initiatives that help cut
car usage (e.g. allowing
Give a clear deadline for home working)
responses. • incentives that encourage
car usage (e.g. business
You might also want to send mileage allowances)
out reminders. • relocation packages to
encourage staff to live
Analysing the survey closer to work or to use
results public transport links
You should be able to carry
out some basic analysis You should also take
yourself in-house, such as account of any travel advice
the percentage travelling to given to visitors.
work by car or bike.
More complex analysis can
include cross-referencing
responses by age, gender,
department, or journey start
point by postcode. However,
you may consider getting
20Auditing non-commuter audit will generate a lot of
travel information that can be used
There are a number of to review whether vehicles
additional audits that you are being used efficiently.
may wish to carry out,
depending on the scope of Youʼll be able to see whether
your Travel Plan: you should increase or
reduce your fleet and how
Business travel audit to make best use of hired
Business travel should be vehicles. You will also
audited separately if you are discover whether some
addressing this kind of travel trips could be made by
in your Plan. This type of other modes, or whether
audit involves recording and trips could be amalgamated
reviewing all business travel or made shorter. It may
to establish if it is being also recommend providing
undertaken in an efficient eco-driving tips to regular
and environmentally friendly drivers.
manner or whether it is even
necessary at all. You may Existing Information audit
find that the information you Many organisations
need is already available and will already have maps
will simply need to be re- in brochures or online
organised to be compatible information that only
with the development of the highlights driving directions
Travel Plan. to and from their premises.
The Energy Saving Visitor audit (including Review and assess the
Trust offers free ʻgreen customers, deliveries and information that currently
fleet reviewsʼ, providing suppliers) exists and make sure to
advice on lowering This type of audit will incorporate information on
running costs, reducing identify the numbers coming access by all modes.
environmental impact to your site and the modes
and enhancing corporate of travel they are currently
social responsibility. using. It should also identify
Operators of small whether there are ways to
fleets (less than twenty
encourage them to use more
vehicles) can access
environmentally friendly
a free telephone fleet
consultancy service. modes. Youʼll need co-
For further details, visit operation from visitors to do
www.est.org.uk this, as you will need to ask
them a few simple questions
when they arrive. If visitors
make up a major element
of your organisationʼs
travel, you may want to
Sustrans has produced consider undertaking a more
guidance on creating comprehensive survey.
active travel directions.
To download a copy, visit
Fleet vehicles audit
www.sustrans.org and
Include all the vehicles
search their publications
section for ʻHow to
owned or leased by your
produce Active Travel organisation such as
directionsʼ company cars, vans, lorries
and both short and long-
term hire vehicles. This
21Step 4: Once a clear picture of the current
Defining situation has been established, you
Objectives can begin to define the objectives of
your Travel Plan.
Why define objectives and parking provision
set targets? • promote a healthier
Having clear objectives, and more productive
targets and well defined workforce
indicators will allow you • reduce congestion in and
to monitor change and to around your site
amend any elements of your • reduce the impact of
Travel Plan that have not your business on the
worked as intended. environment
• reduce greenhouse gas
Matching Corporate and emissions
Travel plan objectives • promote sustainable
Ideally, your Travel Plan ways of working and
should fit well with your demonstrate your
organisationʼs corporate organisationʼs
objectives (the illustration commitment to the
over the page shows their environment
relationship to each other). • increase travel choice
The objectives you identify for staff retention and
will be governed by the recruitment, including
circumstances of your site provision for those with
and the motivations behind impaired mobility
the development of your
Travel Plan.
All objectives should be clear
and may relate to your entire
workforce or to specific
groups such as visitors,
deliveries or contractors.
Examples of Travel Plan
objectives
Your objectives could be
represented by one or
several of those listed here,
or you may have your own:
• reduce costs associated
with providing staff
parking
• reduce business mileage
claims
22 • overcome the loss of carCorporate Objectives
Customer Loyalty Profit Leadership
Employee Loyalty Growth Global
Travel Plan Objective
To reduce the need for unnecessary business travel
Target Target
To reduce car business To increase the number
mileage by 5% by of meetings using video
August 2010 conferencing by 10% by
August 2010
Indicator Indicator Indicator
No. of miles No. of people Use of video
travelled by travelling to conference
train meetings facilities
Relationship between Corporate Objectives and Travel Plan Objectives, Targets and IndicatorsStep 5: By setting targets, you will be able
Setting to assess whether your Travel Plan
Targets is achieving its objectives.
The targets of your Travel post-graduate students and
Plan must relate to its staff.
objectives and should be
based on the results of your However, care is required
surveys and audits to ensure when setting targets for
that they are realistic. different groups. For
instance, if you favour senior
If your objective is “to management by setting less
help reduce local road stringent targets for them,
congestion”, your targets you are likely to lose the
may include “to reduce the support of more junior staff!
number of single occupant
car journeys to work by All your targets should
10% by 2009” or “increase be SMART - Specific,
the proportion of staff Measurable, Achievable,
commuting to work by active Realistic and Time-bound.
travel or public transport by
20% by 2009”. Both negative and positive
targets should be included.
If you include indicators in For example, ʻreduce
your Travel Plan, you will single occupancy vehicle
be able to monitor them to movementsʼ and ʻincrease
identify whether your targets walkingʼ.
have been met and your
objectives achieved.
You could also consider
specifying targets for
different groups of transport
users. This could include
targets for staff, for visitors,
for deliveries, by department
or by mode (such as single
occupancy vehicles or
cycling).
If your organisation has
groups of users with very
different needs, you may
want to differentiate between
groups. For example, an
educational establishment
might have different targets
24 for undergraduate students,Step 6: With clear objectives and
Identifying and measurable targets set, the next step
Implementing is to choose which measures you
will implement to encourage more
Measures
sustainable transport choices.
The need for a range of
measures
There is no single solution
to answer all of your
organisationʼs transport
needs and different people
will respond to different
measures. To give the best
chance of changing travel
behaviour, a combination
of measures should be
introduced. This will let
people ʻpick and mixʼ
according to what suits their
day-to-day requirements
and lifestyle.
Tax and National
Insurance considerations
Some measures, like the
introduction of salary
sacrifice schemes, will
have implications for Tax
and National Insurance
Contributions. The Tax
and National Insurance
system encourages
employees to develop
and implement Travel
Plans through exemptions
Due to the complexity for free or subsidised
of UK Tax and National work buses, bicycles and
Insurance systems, safety equipment. It is
you should consult HM important to understand
Revenue & Customs
these implications before
(HMRC) to clarify any
prioritising your measures.
issues. Visit the HMRC
Pages on Travel Plans at
www.hmrc.gov.uk/green-
transport/travel-plans.
htm
25Step 7: Monitoring how well your Plan
Monitoring works in practice using the Targets
Progress set earlier is the only way to
test whether your initiatives are
successful.
Therefore, you may need to incorporate
monitoring costs as part of your Travel Plan.
The need for objectivity years. Within public sector
There is little point in setting organisations, especially
targets and implementing local authorities, monitoring
measures if monitoring processes may feed into
is not then undertaken to reporting on progress
gauge success or failure. towards commitments under
Monitoring processes must Scotlandʼs Climate Change
be focussed, robust and Declaration, Best Value and
capable of quantifying efficiency agendas.
progress objectively. If
needed, you will then be able If you are implementing
to adjust your Travel Plan to your Travel Plan as part of
improve its effectiveness. a planning condition, you
may wish to tie-in your
Types of monitoring tools monitoring procedures with
It is important to develop a your annual meeting with
range of monitoring tools. the Local Authority.
Examples include analysing
monthly business mileage,
other existing financial
management information
or conducting intermittent
snapshot surveys of travel
patterns. These surveys
will be similar in form to
the initial, more extensive
travel survey, but will usually
be simpler and quicker to
complete. It is suggested
that surveys be carried
out during the spring and
autumn, and not during
school holidays.
Frequency of monitoring
To ensure the most
appropriate and effective
measures are being used,
monitoring should be carried
out every year and then
26 full surveys every 2 to 5Step 8: Regularly reviewing your Travel
Reviewing and Plan and reporting progress as
Reporting measured against its objectives
and targets will provide a more
comprehensive picture of its
effectiveness than monitoring alone.
A comprehensive review
must be undertaken on
a regular basis to pull
together the various strands
of information relating to
the various objectives and
targets of the Travel Plan.
This should take place at
least once every two years
and should include a fresh
Travel Survey to provide an
update of figures gathered
during the development of
the Travel Plan.
The review should
comment on how
successful (or unsuccessful)
the organisation has
been in delivering its
objectives. Where change
isnʼt happening at the
appropriate rate, the
review report should make
recommendations for
new measures or changes
to existing measures
and provide appropriate
justification for the proposed
changes.
Travel Plan measures should
be assessed as part of the
review so that the Travel
Plan Co-ordinator may
modify targets and measures
for the forthcoming years as
necessary.
27Marketing and Maintaining staff involvement and
Promotion ensuring their continued support
are key factors in the success of any
Travel Plan.
To do this, you will need to market and promote
the initiatives contained in your Travel Plan
throughout its lifetime, as well as any progress,
achievements and successes.
The need for marketing Travel Survey questionnaire.
and promotion Make sure that staff
To maintain the commitment know that these are
and enthusiasm of staff and being undertaken, as not
to keep them involved in everybody will be involved in
its ongoing development, the groups. Publicity could
you will need to keep take the form of a letter,
them informed of progress e-mail or poster telling staff
with the Travel Plan. Let they might be invited to take
them know what they have part, and explaining the
achieved and consult them purpose of the focus groups.
about the next steps. The
continual involvement and Staff Travel Survey Results
support from staff will be Itʼs essential to let staff
key to your Planʼs success. know the results of the
Travel Survey. It will make
Therefore, it is vital to draw them feel more involved and
up a marketing plan for will stimulate discussion
promoting both your Travel among colleagues about
Plan and the initiatives it travel issues.
contains. The marketing
plan should be drawn up at Launch of the Travel Plan
an early stage but can be A high profile launch of your
revised as your Travel Plan Plan could coincide with the
develops. introduction of a ʻvisibleʼ
measure that will benefit
When to promote your staff such as the provision of
Travel Plan a bike pool or the launch of
Milestones for marketing a car pool club.
and promotion can include:
Progress Briefings
Introducing the idea of a Keep staff informed of how
Travel Plan to staff targets and objectives are
Produce flyers and posters to being met. Donʼt forget to
promote the initial meeting publicise your successes!
at which your Travel Plan will
be introduced. Send out an Introduction of new
e-mail well in advance of measures
the meeting – as well as a When new measures
reminder the day before the are introduced, use the
meeting. opportunity to promote
them to all staff, not just
Undertaking focus groups the group you think will be
28 These will inform the Staff most affected. This will helpkeep the Travel Plan and taking part in:
alternatives to car use at the
forefront of peopleʼs minds. • Workwise Week – One
week in May
Communicating the • Walk to Work Day – Last
purpose of your Travel Thursday in April
Plan • Green Transport Week
Emphasise the positive – www.eta.co.uk/green_
outcomes your Plan is transport_week - One
designed to achieve for week in June
everyone. Avoid giving the • Bike Week - www.
impression that your Travel bikeweek.org.uk - One
Plan is just an ʻanti-carʼ week in June
initiative, as this is liable • In Town Without my
to alienate many people - Car – www.dft.gov.
especially those who may uk/pgr/sustainable/
feel they have no alternative. awareness/itwmc - part
Instead, highlight the of Septemberʼs European
benefits of car sharing and Mobility Week - www.
promote eco-driving. mobilityweek-europe.org
You should also be sure to Your Local authority and/
stress the fact that any shift or Regional Transport
in behaviour or reduction in Partnership should be able
the number of trips made by to provide you with more
car due to forward planning information about activities
is also part of the Travel and campaigns being carried
Plan. out in your area.
Branding and other Informing the wider
promotional techniques public
You could consider The wider public should also
“branding” your Travel Plan, be made aware of the Travel
perhaps by using a slogan as Plan, so that they know that
the banner under which you efforts are being made to
will take it forward. Naming bring about improvements
of the Travel Plan could within their community. For
be done through a staff example, they may wish to
prize competition - with a take advantage of travel
prize being awarded for the promotions or transport
winning idea. The same service enhancements
name or slogan can be used brought about by the Travel
to brand a family of leaflets, Plan.
posters, newsletters and any
other material produced. Publicise the benefits the
Plan can bring to staff,
Linking with other events visitors and local community
and initiatives at an individual level. The
Use national and local events corporate benefits should
to help publicise your Travel also be communicated in
Plan. For instance, you can order to encourage other
host “Bikersʼ Breakfasts” businesses to develop their
during National Bike Week. own Travel Plans, as well
as to promote your own
Here are some other national corporate image.
events that you may consider
29three
Encouraging
Alternatives -
Practical Measures
A range of steps that promote
more sustainable transport
choicesEncouraging The central part of the Travel
Alternatives Plan is the development and
- Practical implementation of a range of
measures that enable staff, visitors
Measures
and suppliers to make more
sustainable travel choices.
The range and mix of what kind of changes are
measures actually needed the most.
The precise mix of measures You should also consider
selected for a Travel Plan how the different measures
should depend on the would interact with each
results of data collected by other.
the Travel Survey and the
objectives that are set based General guidelines for
on them. selecting measures
There are some basic rules
The type of measures of thumb that should be
implemented can be borne in mind when deciding
categorised as those that: upon which measures to
implement.
• reduce the need for
travel Address the needs of
• encourage cycling different groups
• encourage walking Do not pick measures which
• encourage use of public all target the same group
transport of people. Consider the
• promote responsible car findings from your employee
use questionnaire. For example,
if all the measures are to
This section provides encourage cycling, those
examples of measures who do not want to cycle will
that you could consider not change their behaviour.
implementing as part of your
Travel Plan. The list is not Carrot first, then the stick
exhaustive, but represents Start with those measures
some of the main elements that encourage more
that are commonly used sustainable behaviour, rather
in Travel Plans. You may than those that penalise less
already have some measures sustainable choices. For
in place. example, bring in season
ticket loans or subsidies
Popular vs. effective before charging for parking
You will not always get the (or at least at the same
best results from your Travel time).
Plan simply by picking out
the measures that seem Integration and timing
most attractive or most Think about the potential
popular. Reference to your ʻsynergiesʼ of the measures
surveys and audits should you choose. For example,
31 give a clear indication of if you provide lockers forcyclists (and motorcyclists)
to keep a change of clothes
in, try to build cycle shelters
close to the main entrance at
about the same time. If you
introduce these and other
measures that encourage
cycling or walking, youʼll
attract the largest numbers
of people.
Know what works
Talk to others who have
Travel Plans and talk to your
local authority or Regional
Transport Partnership about
schemes that have worked
well locally.
Tax and National
Insurance considerations
Some measures, like the
introduction of salary
sacrifice schemes, will
have implications for Tax
and National Insurance
Contributions. The Tax
and National Insurance
system encourages
employees to develop
and implement Travel
Plans through exemptions
for free or subsidised
work buses, bicycles and
safety equipment. It is
important to understand
these implications before
prioritising your measures.
You can also introduce
a mileage allowance for
cycling.
Due to the complexity
of UK Tax and National
Insurance systems, you
should you consult HM
Revenue & Customs
(HMRC) to clarify any
issues. Visit the HMRC
Pages on Travel Plans at
www.hmrc.gov.uk/green-
transport/travel-plans.
htm
32Smarter In sustainability terms, reducing the
Working - need for travel is the best option of
reducing the all.
need for travel
Measures to reduce travel - like home working
or teleconferencing - may require cultural shifts
and improvements in IT infrastructure for
some organisations but offer solid financial and
productivity benefits.
What is smarter working? whereby staff are able to
Smarter working covers a structure their work time
number of measures that within an agreed framework.
can eliminate or reduce the Flexible working enables
need for travel. staff to plan journeys to
and from work to fit around
These include: public transport timetables
and avoids the need for
• flexible working all your staff to travel
• home working during the peak hours,
• compressed working thereby helping to alleviate
week congestion on your site and
• tele and video on the local road network.
conferencing
• staff or premises Flexible working also
relocation enables staff to adapt to
out-of-work commitments
Why encourage smarter and achieve a better work/
working? life balance, which can help
Smarter working is about to attract and retain staff.
using time more effectively,
for example by avoiding There are a number of ways
driving at peak traffic hours of implementing flexible
when congestion is worst working:
or by choosing to travel
by public transport and • Flexi-time - where staff
getting some work done can choose how weekly
(or relaxing) along the or annual hours are
way. Reducing traffic levels worked
will also mean safer roads • Flexi-hours - where staff
in and around Scotlandʼs are allowed to come in
communities. and leave earlier or later
• Flexi-working - where
Flexible working staff can work overtime
If your organisation does and take that time off in
not do so already, you could lieu
consider introducing a
33 system of flexible working Flexi-time could involve staffbeing allowed to choose There can also be positive
their daily start and finish effects on morale, and
times (possibly different for valuable desk space can be
each day of the week), but released. It is important to
having to stick to the times note that providing laptop
that they choose. PCs for staff to use when
working from home is not a
Alternatively, they could taxable benefit. If you have
be allowed complete a large number of employees
flexibility outside core who are based on the road,
hours. The latter system you may wish to consider
would require staff to keep setting them up to work
a detailed record of their from home and use the post
hours worked, possibly to deliver their supplies. This
including start and finish will reduce the requirement
times for each day (unless for staff to store supplies or
your organisation operates to come to your offices.
a ʻTime and Attendance
Systemʼ). Remember Health and Safety
issues for those working
Compressed working from home, such as proper
week set up of workstations, will
A compressed working also need to be addressed.
week is a form of flexible
working by allowing staff to Teleworking and
take, for example, one day Teleconferencing
per fortnight or one day per With improvements in
week off if they work the IT, you may wish to
required hours in advance. consider the introduction
Such a proposal is likely to of teleworking, whereby
be very well received by your your employees work away
staff. An extended working from your organisationʼs
day also means that your workplace, either at home
staff will be available to your or at a satellite office.
organisationʼs customers for Depending on the type of
longer. work the employeeʼs do,
and how frequently they
Working from home will telework, you may
Though this approach need to consider setting
may not be suitable for all up e-mail connections and
employees, or employers, office facilities, such as a fax
if some members of staff machine and a designated
are able to work from home telephone line at your
one day a week, or once a employeesʼ home or satellite
fortnight, it can have the office.
same impact on car use as
flexible working. Whilst You may want to consider
there may be a perception a system of ʻhot-deskingʼ
among managers that for teleworkers needing to
productivity is diminished, spend a day or two in the
evidence suggests that office each week. Hot-
working from home can desking involves one desk
lead to increased efficiency shared between several
(through smarter working) people who use the desk at
and thereby lead to different times. This work
increased productivity. surface could be an actual
34desk or just a terminal link.
Teleconferencing means
communicating with other
people using video and/
or audioconferencing
facilities. Videoconferencing
allows business meetings
to be conducted from a
distance, typically over a
network such as the internet
or telephone line, with
participants and documents
viewed on-screen. You can
buy ʻoff-the-shelfʼ video-
conferencing technology
which provides an alternative
to travelling long distances
to meetings – saving both
time and money, and
increasing the productivity
of your staff. Both ʻendsʼ of
the meeting will require the
equipment, but this could
be an ideal solution if you
have a number of sites and
your staff spend a large
amount of time travelling
to meetings at the different
sites.
On-site facilities
If your organisation is large
enough, or if you can team
up with other organisations
nearby, you could consider
provision of on-site leisure
and crèche facilities. This
will help to cut down the
numbers of trips your staff
make before and after work
and at lunchtime. It may
also reduce the need to drive
to work at all.
Provision of catering and
banking facilities could also
help reduce the number of
staff who choose to travel
off site during the lunchtime
period. You could negotiate
with a local caterer to
come onto your site during
lunchtime.
35Measures to Walking is by far the most
Encourage sustainable way for us to get around
Walking our planet - and one of the most
enjoyable.
As part of an active lifestyle, walking can also
help maintain positive health and well-being,
boosting productivity and helping to reduce
rates of absenteeism.
Awareness-raising steps and enforced effectively.
Raise awareness of the
health benefits of walking Ensure that signposting for
for all or part of the journey pedestrians is clear. Routes
to work through promotional should avoid the need to
material. Produce a map cross busy main roads or
showing safer walking congested areas of your site.
routes, indicating distances Talk to your local planning
(and times) to the most authority about improving
common destinations near the routes that your staff
your workplace. Including use. Local police safety
shops, places of interest officers and your own staff
and local amenities as well could also provide ideas as
as nearby bus stops and rail to how pedestrian routes to
stations. your site could be improved.
Designated ʻWalk-inʼ days Facilities and provisions
can also help to raise for walkers
awareness, stimulate Consider the provision of
discussion and get more cloakroom facilities with
people walking. Canvassing storage lockers and places
staff as to what would to hang clothes up to dry
encourage them to walk and to dry hair. Consider
and what barriers they face the provision of umbrellas
can also prompt debate and bearing the company logo
conversation about walking, for all staff who walk to
as well as being a valuable work. Alternatively, there
source of ideas. could be a pool of umbrellas
made available in your
Maintain good walking reception area for staff
routes members wishing to walk
Ensure footpaths to and on to a nearby meeting or go
your site are direct, well-lit walking at lunchtime.
and well-maintained. This
includes footpath links to Issuing pedometers to staff
and from bus stops and rail can help them see how
stations. Car parking on much extra walking they are
pavements and at dropped doing as they switch from
36 kerbs should be prevented – other methods of transport.On larger sites, consider
bringing facilities (such as a
hairdresser or dry-cleaners)
on-site to reduce the need
for people to drive into town
at lunchtime.
For staff who may have
concerns with issues of
personal security, consider
making personal alarms
available.
Related measures
Related measures that can
support walking and that
you should consider as you
develop ways to encouraging
walking include:
Walking to work
can help achieve • Encouraging Cycling -
see page 38
the 30 minutes • Flexible Working - see
of moderate daily page 33
physical activity • Car Parking Management
- see page 43
recommended for • Encouraging Use of
good health and Public Transport - see
page 40
well-being.
Paths for All Partnership
provides guidance on
promoting walking in the
workplace.
Visit www.pathsforall.
org.uk/pathstohealth/
workplace.asp
37Measures to Encouraging more people to cycle
Encourage will reduce pressure on your car-
Cycling parking facilities and, as they glide
through rush-hour traffic, get more
of your employees to site on time
more often.
It’s also a great way for individuals to beat
stress and maintain their well-being - both of
which can benefit productivity.
Promote and publicise Training and support for
cycling cyclists
Provide staff with area maps Establish Bicycle User Groups
showing existing links and (BUGs). These and other
paths such as the National ʻmode groupsʼ can be very
Cycle Network. You could handy when consulting
Cycling is a great buy and distribute copies with your employees
way to maintain if one is already available during development and
or consider producing your implementation of your
or lose weight own cycle map identifying Travel Plan. They can
- 20 minutes of potentially safer cycle routes help keep channels for
to your premises. negotiations open between
gentle cycling employers and employees
burns up to 100 Facilities for cyclists and are a requirement of
calories. Provide safe, secure and the Cycle Friendly Employer
covered cycle parking as Award.
close to building entrances
as possible. Provide cycle training to staff
through organisations such
Provide lockers, changing/ as Cycling Scotland.
drying facilities and showers.
Incentives that encourage
Provide ʻpool bikesʼ. Folding cycling
bikes make excellent pool Offer incentives such as
bikes, especially as they can interest-free bicycle loans,
be used easily on journeys discounts for bicycle
combined with public purchase and preferential
transport. cycle insurance rates.
Introduce a salary sacrifice
Liaise with your local scheme for bicycles.
authority to identify the Provide a cycle mileage
potential for improving cycle allowance to enable
links to your site. financial reimbursement for
staff cycling on company
Consider a puncture repair business.
service, or provision of a
ʻspares boxʼ for cyclists – Related measures
practical details like this can Related measures that can
really help. support cycling and that
38 you should consider as youYou can also read
