Do you recognise any of the following situations?
- Overwhelming demand for car park spaces
- Limited opportunities for business expansion due to lack of space
- Questions being asked about the cost of providing car parking
- Barriers to recruitment because would-be employees need a car
- Vehicle emissions have been identified through your Environmental Management System as a significant environmental impact
Car-sharing schemes
This involves two or more employees sharing a car for the journey to work or for a business trip. The benefits include reduced costs for the sharers and a reduction in demand for parking spaces. A car-sharing scheme can be set up within one organisation, but across West Yorkshire area-wide schemes have now been established bringing economies of scale and a larger pool of potential sharers. We can point you to relevant information and you can contact other members of the Network who already have schemes in place. Promotional activity is vital to develop car-sharing. Free materials for National Liftshare Day are available from a major car-sharing scheme provider: www.liftshare.org
Smarter driving techniques
Useful hints on reducing fuel usage and therefore carbon dioxide emissions are available on the Act on CO2 website. Why not link the travel pages on your company intranet to this site?
Car parking management
Many members of the West Yorkshire Travel Plan Network have in-house experience of maximising use of the car parking space available to them by prioritising the allocation of spaces, and through the introduction of charges. Systems in operation include spaces for car sharers, a rota to share use within teams, spaces reserved until after 9.30am for use by those with childcare responsibilities, and priority-based points systems (rather than a time-based waiting list) for allocation of spaces. Why reinvent the wheel when you can speak directly to local employers who have relevant ideas and experience to share?
Car fleet management
Did you know that a wide range of free assistance to help you maximise the efficiency of your car and van fleets is available from the Energy Savings Trust? The Trust is a non-profit company established by the Government to help UK companies reduce their transport costs and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming and to climate change. For further details see:
www.est.org.uk/fleet/Efficientdriving/Freefleetconsultancy
Road freight fleet management
The Energy Savings Trust also offers free advice to help reduce the operating costs of road freight fleets. For further details see: www.est.org.uk/fleet/hgv/
