What is a travel plan? Click to get info
A travel plan is a package of measures and actions designed by a workplace, school or other organisation to encourage sustainable, safe and healthy travel options. Through reducing car travel, travel plans can improve health, wellbeing and make a positive contribution to the community and environment. Every travel plan is developed and implemented differently to suit the needs of the location.
Workplace and business travel plans Click to get info
A workplace can choose to develop a travel plan at any time or be required to develop a travel plan as a condition of planning consent for an expansion or new development. Typical actions in a workplace travel plan include improving facilities for pedestrians and cyclists (showers, lockers and cycle parking), promotion and encouraging use of public transport, carpooling, flexible working and teleconferencing.
Benefits a workplace travel plan can bring to businesses and staff:
- Encouraging active and healthy travel: promoting active travel such as walking and cycling can improve staff wellbeing, motivation, health and fitness, and reduce staff absence
- Becoming a more attractive employer: providing and encouraging different travel options will improve staff retention, productivity and recruitment
- Being an employer of choice: your commitment to corporate social responsibility will enhance your reputation with staff, key stakeholders and your local community
- Reducing carbon emissions: improving local air quality
- Improving business image: building a reputation as a ‘good neighbour’ and responsible business partner, enhancing your organisation’s environmental and corporate social responsibility credentials (increasingly important when competing for tenders) and helping you achieve environmental accreditation (for example, Green Mark, ISO 14001, The Green Accord)
- Cost savings for your business: managing your organisation’s journeys effectively will reduce costs (mileage, staff expenses, car park charges, providing/maintaining parking spaces, congestion charge, and fleet management costs)
- More travel options: enhancing business prospects by giving employees, visitors and customers more ways of reaching you, alleviate car parking pressures at your site, and ease delays to deliveries and movements of goods.
To find out more or how we can support workplace travel plans please email roadsafety@walthamforest.gov.uk
School Travel Plans (STP) Click to get info
A School Travel Plan (STP) is a document which sets out how a school will promote safer, active and sustainable travel to school, with the main emphasis being on reducing the number of children being driven to and from school. A good school travel plan should be based on consultation with teachers, parents, pupils and governors and other local people. In order to ensure that the plan remains relevant and appropriate to changing circumstances it is essential that the plan is reviewed and updated regularly.
The benefits of a School Travel Plan include:
- Less congestion and pollution
- Improved travel awareness and road user skills
- Healthier and more active school community
- A safer environment for walking and cycling
- Improved independence and responsibility amongst pupils.
Every school and its community are unique and have their own school travel issues and concerns. Waltham Forest currently runs Transport for London’s STARS travel plan accreditation scheme to support schools with creating, delivering and maintaining travel plans; please see below for further information.
School Travel Plans: STARS Click to get info
STARS is TfL's accreditation scheme for London schools and nurseries. STARS inspires young Londoners to travel to school sustainably, actively, responsibly and safely by championing walking, scooting and cycling.
STARS supports pupils' wellbeing, helps to reduce congestion at the school gates, and improves road safety and air quality.
The Council supports schools to work towards one of three accreditation levels (bronze, silver or gold) through planning and implementing a package of measures to encourage active and sustainable travel and improve air quality, and road safety.
Find out more about TFL STARS on the TFL Stars community project website, or by emailing roadsafety@walthamforest.gov.uk
Useful links for implementing a travel plan Click to get info
Council initiatives
Cycle Training: free cycle training for anyone who lives, works or studies in Waltham Forest
Cycle Hire: free cycle and cargo cycle hire for anyone who lives, works or studies in Waltham Forest
Cycle Hubs: secure cycle parking at stations across Waltham Forest
Cycle Stands: request cycle stands in Waltham Forest
ZED: zero emission delivery service
Brompton Hire: folding cycle hire
Affordable Cycle Purchase Scheme
Living Map: Waltham Forest living map
Electric Vehicle Charging Points (available to those with no access to off-street parking)
External initiatives
Waltham Forest Cycle Shops: local cycle shops
Zipcar: car club operating in Waltham Forest
Enterprise: car club operating in Waltham Forest
Ubeeqo: car club operating in Waltham Forest
LiftShare: lift sharing savings calculator
FORS: Fleet Operation Recognition scheme
DeliverBest: efficient delivery management for businesses
Transport for London: advice/information on travel in London
Travel Wise: national sustainable travel advice
Workplace Electric Charging Scheme: (available to businesses with off-street parking)