Contact Us

Address:
The Guildhall
Frankwell Quay
Shrewsbury
SY3 8HQ
 
Telephone:
01743 281000
 
email:

Overall Benefits of a Sustainable Travel Plan

 
A travel plan can have many benefits. It is an excellent indication of good corporate and social responsibility. It provides increased choice for employees, can increase time savings and can have health benefits.
Leading by example is important for any Local Authority, but especially so for Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council, being situated in the largest town within Shropshire.
 
Shrewsbury has a rich and vibrant history and a town centre that has retained many of its original features. Shrewsbury's streets were not designed with the private motor vehicle in mind and the increase in car ownership and use has led to congestion and air pollution.
 
This affects not only the general quality of life within the town, but people's health and the state of the historic buildings within the centre itself.
 
It is important that the Council is seen to be directly addressing this issue in addition to using its air quality management powers to facilitate changes affecting other road users.

On existing trends, traffic (vehicle kilometers) within the UK will double by 2025.

The impact that this will have on the historic town of Shrewsbury is enormous. The Council is placed in a unique position to be able to influence changes in current car use and to promote alternatives that will benefit not only the Council, but also Shrewsbury town as a whole.

The majority of vehicles also emit Carbon Dioxide, an important gas that contributes to the Greenhouse Effect.

Climate Change will have dramatic consequences across the globe, but in the West Midlands it is predicted that increased rainfall and storms will play an increasing role in the regions weather.

The reduction in the use of private vehicles and the change to using cleaner fuels is an important link in reducing the severity of climate change.

This Travel Plan is aimed at the activities of the whole council at all locations. However, the new single office accommodation at Frankwell Quay does bring with it an exciting opportunity to implement a fair and effective Travel Plan on site from the very beginning.

Increased Choice for Employees

A wider range of travel options, savings and benefits will enhance the recruitment and retention of staff working for the Council. Additional options concerning the method by which staff can travel to work will be seen as a positive sign by both current and future employees.

Time saving

The automatic use of the car for business or commuter travel is not always the most cost effective or efficient option. Alternatives can be cheaper, faster (particularly for long journeys) and provide additional time in which to prepare for meetings or carry out work that would not be possible when sat at the wheel of a car.

A Commuter Challenge carried out in Shrewsbury in September 2002 illustrated this point when a number of modes of transport were timed on a journey from Harlescott Park and Ride to the Market Square.

An electric bike was the fastest, arriving at 11 minutes, followed by a pushbike at 14.5 minutes, Park and Ride at 16.5 minutes, a car at 23 minutes (after parking in Frankwell and walking to the Square) and lastly the local bus service at 24.5 minutes.

The private car is not always the fastest mode of transport.

Staff and Councillor Travel Survey – October 2002

An electronic travel survey of SABC staff and a paper survey of Councillors were carried out in October 2002, following a similar exercise in 1998.

The results of the survey are based on a 65% response rate of office based staff, (195 employees) compared with a response rate of 272 staff in 1998 (91% of office based staff. Note that the profile of staff has changed during this time).

A total of 22 Councillors took part in the survey, representing a 55% response rate.