HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL TRAVEL PLAN COORDINATOR

Can you cope with a challenge?

#mynetworklive @networkwm

• Give a background to Centro & current work with businesses

• Help you understand the Travel Plan process

• Explore roles & responsibilities of a Travel Plan Co-ordinator

• Case Studies –

• Open House – Identify & discuss your challenges and solutions

AIMS OF TODAY’S WORKSHOP

• 09.30 Welcome & Introductions

• 10.15 Case Studies of existing Employers

• 11.00 Refreshments

• 11.15 Case Study

• 11.30 Question & Answer session

• 12.00 Table discussion –

Preparing your Travel Plan

• 12.30 Lunch and Networking

HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL TRAVEL PLAN COORDINATOR

• Name

• Organisation

• At what stage of Travel Planning process

• What would you like to learn from today – anything in particular?

#mynetworksessions @networkwm

INTRODUCTIONS

• Integrated Transport Authority for the West Midlands

• Promotes and develops public transport across the West Midlands

• Provides strategic transport direction

• Collaborative approach with seven Local Authorities and transport operators

• Network West Midlands – public facing brand that connects all public transport and sustainable travel in the West Midlands

• Projects – Birmingham New Street Gateway; • Metro extension, i54, Smart Network, Smarter Choices

WHAT DOES CENTRO DO?

• Helping local businesses with staff travel since 1998

• Company TravelWise scheme with Local Authorities

• Cutting carbon emissions and congestion in the West Midlands

• Help companies address transport issues

• Implement travel plans, provide incentives and support for staff

HOW DOES CENTRO HELP LOCAL BUSINESSES?

• Funded by Department for Transport• 1st programme £50 million along 10 key

routes• 2nd programme £6.5 million in Economic

Regeneration areas• Centro and Local Authorities• Cutting congestion & CO2 and helping

economy & access to jobs• Package of support for businesses

SMART NETWORK, SMARTER CHOICES

Some businesses may have a car parking problem…..

Some businesses may have a car parking problem…..either their own, or from their neighbours

There may be other ‘issues ’….

• The company may be trying to improve its environmental image or may be working towards ISO 14001

• The company may be wanting to improve the health and wellbeing of its staff and improve on its corporate social responsibility agenda

• Required to produce a Travel Plan for an impending Planning Application or as a planning condition or as part of a Section 106 Agreement

Whatever the issue, a Travel Plan could be the solution….

• “A strategy for managing the travel generated by your organisation, with the aim of reducing its environmental impact. Travel plans typically combine measures to support walking, cycling, public transport and car sharing. These are reinforced with promotion and incentives and by the management of workplace parking. Travel plans also include action to reduce the need to travel, such as telecommuting. They can focus on both commuter and business travel” ( The Essential Guide to Travel Planning, National Business Travel Network)

WHAT IS A TRAVEL PLAN

• Explore the transport and travel problems faced by your company

• Listen to everyone’s concerns

• Identify site – specific issues

• Ask the right questions

UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM

• Is your delivery entrance ever blocked due to congestion?

• Is there enough car parking on site?

• What happens if there are more cars than spaces?

• Are staff parking next door making your company a bad neighbour?

• Is the Council planning to reduce access through nearby residential areas?

TRAFFIC AND PARKING PROBLEMS

• Is staff turnover high?

• Do you have recruitment problems?

• Do staff need a car to travel to your site?

• Can staff get there by other means?

- by bus, or train

- by bicycle or on foot

HARD TO KEEP/FIND THE STAFF

• What are your transport costs?• Car parking (e.g. rent & rates, fencing,

lighting, maintenance, site security)• Staff travel on business• Couriers & taxis• Fleet

• Who is in overall charge of transport & travel?

TRANSPORT AND TRAVEL EXPENSIVE

What are the benefits of a Travel Plan?

5 minutes discussion at table and feedback……

Benefits of managing transport and travel:

• Cost effective & efficient travel to work & on business

• Organised car parking freeing up time to focus on business not cars

• Easy access for deliveries/collections

• Financial control over transport costs

AN ATTRACTIVE PROPOSITION

Travel Plans can give the company the edge on:

- Employee recruitment and retention

- Corporate image and public relations

- Employee performance

- Contribution to EMS & QA

- Development: controlling their own destiny

GAIN COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Employees gain from Travel Plans

- Healthy lifestyle via modest regular physical activity (walking or cycling to work)

- Less time and money spent on travel

- Fair travel subsidy by the firm

- Improved transport infrastructure

- More flexible work practices.

MEET STAFF EXPECTATION

Travel your environmental impact:

- Eliminate “bad neighbour” parking

- Improve the quality of life

- Reduce congestion

- Better air quality

- Cut noise pollution

HELP THE LOCAL ENVIONMENT

• Senior Management support & commitment

• Support of Centro and public transport operators

• Support from Local Authorities

• Being able to ‘sell’ the Travel Plan to your employees

• But most of all....it will depend on you!

You are the main driving force behind your travel plan

THE SUCCESS OF YOUR TRAVEL PLAN WILL DEPEND ON MANY THINGS

A specific member of staff is allocated responsibilityfor implementing and ‘selling’ the Travel Plan withina company

Maybe it’s you?

HOW DO YOU FIT INTO THIS?

• Overseeing the development and implementation of the travel plan & surveys

• Setting up any incentive schemes

• Getting and maintaining commitment and support from senior managers

• Putting together marketing and promotional campaigns

• Setting up & co-ordinating any Steering & Working Groups

• Act as point of contact for all staff

• Liaise with the different departments in your organisation – HR, Estates, etc

• Co-ordinating the monitoring process

• Presenting to senior managers the results of the Travel Plan annually

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

What qualities are required to become a successful Travel Plan Co-ordinator ?

5 minutes table discussion & feedback

• Popular among staff & commanding respect

• Capable of dealing with all kinds of people

• Computer literate

• Ability to lead by example

• Practical & realistic, with a balanced perspective

• Organised in thinking, and capable of multi-tasking

• A knowledge of environmental and business issues

• Belief in what they are working for

QUALITIES OF A TRAVEL PLAN COORDINATOR

You are key to influencing a change in theorganisation’s culture!

• Understand how the your organisation functions internally

• Corporate culture tends to come from the top

• Ensure that senior executives support the changes

• Understand how employees see themselves in relation to the organisation

• Communication, Communication, Communication

• Staff need to understand why the plan is being developed and that it has senior management support

• Every individual in the organisation must be reached and be properly informed and consulted about the Travel Plan and the measures being implemented as part of it.

ALWAYS REMEMBER

• Maintain the support of staff and keep them involved

• Give constant support to people changing their travel behaviour

• Keep staff on-board and supportive of the travel plan through regular liaison via the working groups

• The incentives should be in place before the disincentives

HOW DO YOU KEEP STAFF INTERESTED?

• Follow up survey

• Bus use – number of travel passes issued

• Cycle use – counting number of bicycles, number of employees taking up bike loan scheme

• Car share matching service – number of staff registered

• Driving – numbers using car park or car parking permits

• Number of employees working from home

• Business mileage & fuel consumption

MONITORING

In every job that must be done there is anElement of fun, you find the fun, and SNAP,the job’s a game......

ALWAYS REMEMBER

Break for refreshments

Case studies

Table discussion:Preparing for your Travel Plan

A Travel Plan is a package of measures to encourage and enable staff

to travel more sustainably

- Planning travel (not just transport)

- Reducing over dependence on the car

- Making small changes in everyone’s travel behaviour

- Business management tool

- It’s an essential part of modern development

- Beneficial to a business, it’s staff & neighbours and the environment

SUMMING UP

A Travel Plan Co-ordinator is

• Key to the success of the Travel Plan

• Key ‘sales person’ for the Travel Plan within the company

• Key to setting up partnerships with LA’s, Centro, Bus Operators and other businesses

• Key person for maintaining the success of the travel plan

SUMMING UP...

The success of your Travel Plan will depend onmany things……

But most of all....it will depend on you!

You are the main driving force behind

your travel plan

No pressure then!

Where to get help......

Samaritans08457 90 90 90

Alcoholics Anonymous 0845 769 7555

Where to get help......

Centro Sustainable Travel Team0121 214 7409business@centro.org.uk www.networkwestmidlands.com/

Local Authority Travel Plan Advisors

West Midlands TravelWisewww.travelwisewestmids.org.uk

ACTTravelWise www.acttravelwise.org

• Next workshop: Tuesday 14th July • ‘’ Marketing your Travel Plan within your Workplace”

• LinkedIn discussion group – My Network Sessions find it via the Centro page

• Follow us on twitter @networkwm

KEEP IN TOUCH