A workplace travel plan is a report that details a strategic package of measures designed to promote safe, healthy, and sustainable travel options for employees, visitors, and clients at a place of work. The goal is to reduce reliance on single-occupancy car travel and encourage alternatives like walking and cycling, public transport, car sharing, remote working and electric vehicles.
Usually this focuses on commuting traffic, rather than the operation of the business, however it can be a great tool for a company to use it to reduce their operational transport and travel expenditure.
Travel Plans are a very effective method of reducing the demand for non-sustainable transport modes for both existing and proposed developments. They include setting targets for reducing single car travel, usually over a 5-year period, and are supported with a package of infrastructure and promotional measures to encourage individuals to make sustainable travel choices.
At Paul Basham Associates we pride ourselves on our ability to create Travel Plans that are tailored to every site. Not only do we create them, but we can also support their delivery throughout the whole process, from inception to monitoring.
Once a Workplace Travel Plan has been approved by the Local Planning Authority, a Travel Plan Co-ordinator (TPC) is usually appointed to oversee the Travel Plan’s delivery and operation. Our team have extensive experience as Travel Plan Coordinators having been involved in a number of large-scale developments including Dunsbury Park in Havant and multiple Indurant Business Parks.
Why Would you Need a Workplace Travel Plan?
Firstly, National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) paragraphs 116 and 117 sets out both the importance of sustainable travel for development but also states that all major new developments should be required to provide a travel plan.
As such, most local authorities in the UK require a travel plan for commercial schemes of a certain size (this varies depending on the location and use of the site). And if your company is looking to move or expand premises, a travel plan may also be legally required to manage the expected increase in traffic and parking demand.
Development sites aiming to achieve BREEAM accreditation also require a Travel Plan to meet credits associated with TRA01 and TRA02. This requires both the production of the Travel Plan, as well as measures, which can include enhancing local public transport provision, implementing cycle parking and cycle related infrastructure, electric vehicle charging and car sharing priority spaces.
What is Included in a Workplace Travel Plan Work?
A Workplace Travel Plan needs to include the following:
- Existing Accessibility Review of the workplace’s location
- Aims, objectives and targets
- Targets need to be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound
- Usually aim for a 10% reduction in single occupancy car trips
- Measures
- Marketing material – Welcome Packs, Newsletters, webpages
- Promotion of walking and cycling events and challenges such as ‘National Walking Month’
- Promotion of local bus and train routes
- Running events
- Monitoring, Implementation and Enforcement
- Monitoring strategy
- Costed Action Plans
- Role of the Travel Plan Coordinator
Benefits of a Workplace Travel Plan
A workplace travel plan brings a wide range of benefits to both employers and employees – from financial savings and improved staff wellbeing to environmental benefits and compliance with any development conditions or Section 106 obligations.
Benefits include:
- Health and wellbeing:
- Encouraging walking, cycling, and flexible commuting improves physical and mental wellbeing, reduces stress, and boosts morale and productivity.
- Better company reputation as it embraces modern ways of working and increases flexibility and choice for employees, visitors and deliveries.
- Cost savings:
- Reduces the need for on-site parking spaces and associated maintenance costs.
- Can help avoid any extra costs through the planning process and will often allow for Section 106 obligations in new developments to be met.
- Environmental impact
- Reduces CO2 emissions and air pollution
- Supports achieving BREEAM accreditation
- A fantastic way to support your organisation’s net zero and sustainability goals
- Less congestion and better access
- A reduction in traffic and parking pressures will make it easier for staff, visitors and deliveries to access your site efficiently.
- Better and easier compliance
- Supports your company as it aligns with any Section 106 or similar conditions imposed through the planning process
- Aligns with the increasing number of councils pursuing vision led low carbon approaches to development, making it more likely that a scheme will be approved
Why choose Paul Basham Associates for your workplace travel plan?
Our team have extensive experience in writing and coordinating Workplace Travel Plans across a variety of land use sectors and geographical locations. Our involvement can including producing, reviewing, monitoring and implementing these Workplace Travel Plans and due to the timescales involved (usually over 5 years) we have excellent relationships with Local Authorities, clients and developers alike.
Our Travel Plans can provide a long-term management strategy tailored to the development which outlines local accessibility, indicates baseline travel patterns, establishes future targets and provides a personalised package of measures which encourage more sustainable travel. Not only do they set out the path to sustainability for your development, but we assist you the whole way through with frequent monitoring and liaison with yourself, your occupier(s) and the local authority, with the aim of solidifying the sustainable travel foundations that begin with a Workplace Travel Plan.
Should you need assistance with the delivery of the Travel Plan we can also act as the Travel Plan Coordinator for a workplace or business park. We have a range of established relationships with clients, local authorities and transport companies alike due to the tailored service we provide, as we recognise that every site is different! We produce Welcome Packs to support initial staff travel to your site, and then over the life of the Travel Plan’s delivery we’d produce regular newsletters and a dedicated travel plan webpage, just like this one for Staff at York and Elder, Brighton. This ongoing promotion ensures staff are made aware of updates to sustainable travel opportunities and events. We also often work with developers to deliver financial incentives to further encourage sustainable travel!
With an ever-increasing focus on sustainable development, our Travel Planning team keep up to date with local Travel Planning policies to ensure every Travel Plan is compliant, deliverable and enforceable.
Ready to get started? Contact Paul Basham Associates today to make the most of our expertise and experience to support your workplace travel plan obligations throughout the whole process, starting by producing your bespoke travel plan.