The Colchester2020 Travel Plan Club was formed by Colchester2020 in July 2004 as part of its commitment to tackle congestion through implementing work place Travel Plans aimed at reducing staff’s reliance on the private car.
With the recent prioritisation of carbon reduction in 2020’s new sustainable community strategy, the Travel Plan Club has expanded its focus to reducing carbon emissions, congestion and improving health through travel habit change.
Traffic Congestion on Cowdray Avenue
A Travel Plan is a package of measures that an organisation can offer its staff to encourage them to use sustainable travel options as opposed to always travelling by car. These measures include incentives, marketing, and information to promote cycling, walking, using public transport, car sharing, car clubs, home and flexible working.
- Transport and specifically car travel and the commute to work is one of the main generators of carbon emissions by individuals and non manufacturing organisations.
- Traffic congestion impacts on business costs through staff lateness in arriving at work and delays in deliveries etc
- Sedentary lifestyles exacerbated through our over reliance on the car is a contributor to the looming obesity epidemic which is leading to increasing ill health and sick days off work.
- Providing free car parking spaces for staff is a cost to organisations and means you are subsidising staff who drive to work yet not providing any support for staff who travel to work by other more sustainable travel modes.
All of the above can be addressed through organisations and individuals taking responsibility for their travel habits and a Travel Plan can help make taking this responsibility easier. A Travel Plan can also contribute to corporate objectives such as cutting carbon emissions, corporate social responsibility and business accreditations such as IIP and ISO14001.
For more information contact the Colchester2020 Travel Plan Coordinator, Emily Harrup on 01206 561826 or travel.plan.club@colchester.gov.uk
