Why do I need to build one?
Travel Plans are the Government's recommended way forward to widen travel choice and to reduce reliance on the car. Organisations which have a Travel Plan appear more responsible, caring and business orientated towards staff, customers, suppliers, and towards the local community.
The development of a Travel Plan will support one or more of the following initiatives.
1. Satisfying Planning Conditions
Planning authorities manage future travel to and from development sites through regulatory controls such as section 106 agreements. It is becoming increasingly common for planning authorities to ask organisations to develop a Travel Plan to demonstrate how they will minimise the potential traffic impact on their development and, for example, cope with reduced parking availability.
2. National Transport Policy
Building on the Government's commitment to sustainable development, the Department for Transport (DfT) is actively working to deliver the sustainable development objectives by:
- Tackling congestion (which damages economic competitiveness, worsens local air quality, and adds to the stress of our daily lives)
- Reducing the environmental and health impacts of transport (including transport's impact on air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, noise pollution and public safety)
- Reducing social exclusion related to transport and accessibility
- Integrating transport and land-use planning to produce more sustainable patterns of development.
The overall objective of this Travel Plan (TP) is to seek to ensure all users of this building use more sustainable forms of transport than single occupancy car travel and so contribute to the Government’s sustainable development policy.
3. Regional Transport Policy
The Submission Draft Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) is a long-term strategy for the spatial development of the region and identifies the priorities for transport investment in the North East. The RSS incorporates the Regional Transport Strategy (RTS) to ensure the integration of land use and transport planning.
The RSS sets out four main themes, under which the locational strategy is developed, each of which has some more detailed objectives that future transport improvements will need to focus on:
- Delivering economic prosperity and growth
- Creating sustainable communities
- Conserving, enhancing and capitalising on the region’s natural and built environment, heritage and culture
- Improving connectivity within and beyond the region.
The Regional Policy Framework provides a regional interpretation of national guidance and addresses projects and priorities which cut across Local Highway Authority areas.
4. Local Transport Policy
Workplace travel plans have the potential to assist people from disadvantaged communities access employment by reducing incentives for car users by for instance charging for on-site parking and using the revenue raised to provide incentives to use sustainable modes such as discounted public transport tickets. Employers will also be encouraged to provide incentives for car sharing, which will again benefit residents who do not have access to a car.
5. Business Efficiency
Developing a Travel Plan can improve customer access and reduce costs.
- Human Resources - being a more responsible employer can have benefits in the recruitment and retention of staff
- Transport Costs - by minimising business travel
- Less car parking spaces can reduce capital, management and maintenance costs, and make the land for something else
- A healthier workforce means less staff absence.
Travel Plans may be implemented to enhance your organisation’s image. Your organisation may wish to improve public relations and show that you are a conscientious employer by demonstrating your commitment to Sustainable Development. Within the context of the shifting culture towards sustainability there are increasing concerns for environmental, social and economic issues.
6. Environmental Responsibility
Travel Plans can reduce the environmental impact of your organisation's activities. Reducing travel reduces air and noise pollution, and traffic congestion.
Many organisations audit their environmental management through the ISO14001 scheme. This is an award which applies to standards of environmental improvements which the organisation can control. Transport plays an important role in most business activities and may, particularly in the service sector, represent one of the operation’s main environmental impacts. Developing a Travel Plan is an important contribution to ISO14001 and other environmental management systems.
7. Social Responsibility
People are increasingly questioning the environmental and social ethics of an organisation.
- Corporate Social Responsibility - Includes looking after how your staff travel to and from work
- Investors in People - This national standard sets good practice for improving performance through employees. It requires employers to take specific actions to support and develop their employees. The widening of travel choices and the processes involved could motivate and support employees
- Work Life Balance - Tele-working and flexible and compressed hours not only help employees to better manage their work and home commitments. This can also reduce the amount of travel and peak period travel
- Equal opportunities - Free car parking is common but it is hardly equitable. It is a benefit to car users which is not available for non car users
- Social inclusion - A Travel Plan will help to ensure that your development is accessible to all.
