Travel Planning in a Recession

Kindly sponsored by

Wednesday 10th June 2009

1. Intro – Mark Webb (TfW)

2. Importance of Travel Planning – Mike Salter (EEDA)

3. Travel Planning in a Recession – Gary Armstrong (TfW)

4. Travel Plan Safari

5. Lessons Learnt

Must be out by 10.15 am for next meeting.

Agenda

Mike Salter

Transport Planning Manager

EEDA

My presentation today

• Regional economic context for transport;

• Transport Economic Evidence Study (‘TEES’); and

• Why travel planning matters

About the RES – key ambitions

• GVA per capita over 70% higher in 2031 than today

• GVA per employee over 60% higher

• reduce CO2 60% by 2031

RES ‘Engines of Growth’

Regional Economic Context

RES: a sustainable transport system that fully supports sustainable economic growth

– Priority 1: make best use of existing networks

– Priority 2: invest in transport to maximise growth

– Priority 3: increased benefit from gateways

– Priority 4:reduce environmental impacts

TEES Study Objectives• What is the wider cost to the regional economy of the

constraints imposed by the current and planned transport network?

• Where in the region does transport impose the most severe costs upon the economy?

• What are the economic benefits of implementing additional transport interventions?

Sound economic and transport modelling as basis

Study Findings - Costs of Congestion• By 2021, congestion in region will cost UK economy:

– As much as £1.3bn per annum in GDP terms if all congestion could be eliminated

– And up to £2.2bn per annum in GDP and welfare terms

• Equivalent productivity losses in the region:– Up to £900 per worker per annum

Productivity losses / worker - 2021

Study Findings Carbon Impacts – Highway Packages

-10%

-5%

0%

5%

10%

15%

Base (2003) BAU (2021) RTS (2021) StrategicHighway (2021)

Gateway (2021)

So why is travel planning important?

• Transport has key role in the regional economy

• Imbalance between demand and supply causes congestion - £2bn p.a. cost

• Targeted investment gives high returns but we cannot build our way out – supply-side alone is not the answer

• At most addresses 8-15% of economic cost of congestion

So why is travel planning important?• Need for demand-side measures; travel planning and

reducing work-related vehicular journeys a key element

• TEES shows that 10% reduction in highway trips in Cambridge and Norwich = £20m benefits / year

• And carbon benefits too – hits multiple RES ambitions

• So keen to support Travel for Work initiative

Travel Planning in a Recession

Gary Armstrong

Travel Plan Adviser

Travel for Work Partnership

Is the recession affecting workplace Travel Planning?National Headlines:

• Take a Stand money handed back

• Large employer NOT applying for Travel Plan Award because making employees redundant

• “No time at present. Working hard to stay alive!”

• TfW Employer reducing travel plan coordinator work time

Is the recession affecting workplace Travel Planning?TfW Anecdotal Evidence:

• Travel planning is positive NOT negative

• Saves commuters money

• Helps reduce congestion – keep economy moving

• We are all worried about CO2 – help commuters ‘do their bit’

• We are all worried about obesity, heart disease, diabetes etc – help commuters take more exercise

• Reduces business travel costs

But Travel Planning can help employers ‘weather the storm’ ?

• Sustainable (more active) commuting

= less sickness

= more productive

= commuting cost reduction

= Happier, healthier, wealthier workforce

• Positive ‘green’ publicity – link initiatives to ‘recession busting!’

• Corporate Social Responsibility reporting

• Reduced pressure on the car park

= reduced organisation stress!

Some ideas to consider

Cycling:

- Tax efficient cycle purchase schemes

- Negotiate discounts with cycle shops

- Fund/subsidise cycle training

- Improve on-site facilities

- Allow 10 mins a day to change/shower

- Fund regular “Dr Bike” sessions

Some ideas to consider

Car Sharing:

- Provide free access to car parks and/or allocate ‘best’ car park spaces

- Highlight cost savings in publicity

- Provide access to a matching service (eg. CamShare)

- Promote success stories

Some ideas to consider

Car Clubs:

- Proven to save money

- Car hire service - ½ hr minimum usage

- Can potentially be used by business as a Pool Car option

Some ideas to consider

Bus/Train use:

- Negotiate bus/train discounts (can you join with neighbours?)

- Subsidise bus/train fares

- Promote stress reducing bus experience:time to yourself, read a book, snooze etc

- Work with provider to promote cost/time savings of bus/train use (season tickets/smart cards)

- Improve bus stops (lighting, seating, cover)

Some ideas to consider

Business Travel

- Pool bikes – cycle to local meetings

- Video/audio conferencing – reducing need to travel

- Train travel can be less expensive than car (allows time to work)

- Pool umbrellas – walk to local meetings

Some ideas to consider

Work-life balance

- Reduces staff travel costs

- Improves staff moral

- Can improve productivity

Some ideas to consider

Travel Plan Safari – How it Works

1. Four 15 minute sessions.

2. Facilitator will talk for 3 minutes about their offering – a bell will ring at the end of the 3 minutes.

3. Delegates then have 12 minutes to ask questions.

4. A horn will sound at the end of 12 minutes and it is then time to move on to the next table as indicated in you delegate notes – please move on as quickly as possible.

5. Above process will be repeated

Remember to complete the two questions on the delegate form as you may be asked

to share your ideas at the end of the meeting!

Travel Plan Safari – Six Tables

Table 1: Car Clubs– Street Car– Andrew Edgar

Table 2: Car Sharing – CamShare/Liftshare – Louis Clabburn

Table 3: Cycling – Cambridge Cycling Campaign– Jim Chisolm– Simon Hayden (Cycle Training)

Table 4: Bus Transport – Passenger Transport, Cambs CC– Michael Harber

Table 5: Flexible Working – Cambridgeshire County Council– Maxine Harriman

Table 6: Train Transport – National Express/First Capital Direct– Tanya Havers– Julie Ryan

Delegate Feedback

Remember to complete the two questions on the delegate form as you may be asked

to share your ideas at the end of the meeting!

1. What One thing have you learnt from today?

2. What one thing will you do as a result of today’s meeting?

Names to be drawn out of a bag!

Wrap-up

1. Don’t forget to fill in the feedback form?

2. Contact the TfW team for further details on any of the issues discussed:

Mark Webb – 01223 715696

Gary Armstrong – 01223 715695

www.tfw.org.uk

Thank You for Attending