The Benefits of a Green Travel Plan

Published: 21/07/2023

Green Travel Plans are being increasingly implemented by businesses and organisations to manage and reduce single user car travel to and from the workplace. This involves the evaluation of a range of factors, including availability of public transport, distances from the home to the workplace and the potential for carpooling. The main aim of a Green Travel Plan is to encourage more sustainable travel, however there are a whole range of benefits to be enjoyed by employers, employees and local communities.

Minimised environmental impact

The primary benefit of a Green Travel Plan is the minimised environmental impact that alternative transport methods can have. Naturally, less single user car trips leads to a reduction of carbon emissions. Carpooling with colleagues who live nearby can slash emissions in half, while taking the bus is an even more sustainable option, providing that public transport is reliable and bus routes practical. Of course, cycling or walking have no negative environmental impacts at all, and are viable options for those who live closer to the workplace. Overall, this leads to more sustainable methods of getting to work, improving local air quality and reducing local pollution levels, not to mention noise pollution.

Reduced costs

Employees and even employers can benefit from reduced long term costs with a Green Travel Plan. Naturally, for employees this means reduced or zero fuel consumption for journeys to and from the workplace. Some employees might even see their car become redundant if they no longer rely on it for getting to work, making the switch to public transport or walking all the more cost effective, what with the absence of car insurance, road tax, fuel and maintenance costs.

For employers, savings can be made by stipulating that business trips be more sustainable. Company cars should carry more than one person in them, as opposed to separate trips being made to the same place. Again, this cuts fuel consumption and maintenance costs in half which adds up considerably over the course of the year, particularly for the public and non-profits sectors which are heavily reliant on making frequent corporate trips.

Efficiency & Less Congestion

Fewer cars on the road naturally leads to less congestion, particularly at peak morning and evening travel times. This means a smoother journey to and from work and is something that benefits employers, employees and the wider community equally. As well as reduced motorway and road queuing, a Green Travel Plan can lead to less congested car parks, as fewer vehicles require a space, particularly in public car parks in city centres which can easily reach their capacity by 9am or earlier.

Improved Health

The health benefits of walking or cycling to work are undeniable. Particularly important for office workers who otherwise might have a rather sedentary lifestyle, encouraging walking or cycling to work will greatly improve fitness levels. To encourage this, employers should make necessary provisions available, such as bike storage facilities, as well as lockers and even showers where possible.

Staff Retention

A successful Green Travel Plan will also offer special benefits to employees, such as cycle-to-work schemes, which offer tax incentives on new bikes and equipment, and flexible working arrangements. According to the Office for National Statistics, earlier this year 84% of workers who had to work at home during the Coronavirus pandemic said that their intention was to carry on with hybrid working into the future. This trend shows that flexible working is popular amongst many in the UK, and unsurprisingly hybrid working fits in very neatly with a Green Travel Plan and reduced traffic on roads.

Traffic and parking solutions should be effective and simple for businesses and organisations to implement. Fortunately, Total Parking Solutions are here to help. To find out more about our range of highly efficient parking solutions, including consultancy services for those considering a Green Travel Plan, contact us today.