Workplace travel plans highlighted at Belfast seminar

The benefits of workplace travel plans were highlighted in Belfast today at the first ever Travelwise sustainable transport seminar for the hospital sector.

At the seminar in the Waterfront Hall, Roads Service’s Director of Engineering, Geoff Allister unveiled the work of the Roads Service Travelwise initiative, which encourages businesses, where the car is the primary mode of staff travel, to transfer to more environmentally friendly means, such as walking, cycling and public transport.

Mr Allister said: “The aim of today’s event is to provide hospital managers with guidance, direction and support in taking forward workplace travel plans, within their organisations.

“The development of travel plans, by hospitals in Northern Ireland, will help encourage staff and others visiting these sites, to use more environmentally friendly alternatives than driving alone, at least for some of their journeys.”

A successful travel plan contains a mix of incentives and disincentives, such as car sharing, promoting the use of public transport, encouraging walking and cycling, restricting on site car parking spaces and supporting alternative work practices, which reduce the need to travel.

“We all have a part to play in influencing travel behaviour and as a major employer, Roads Service has also embarked on the travel planning process to be part of a solution that creates a more sustainable transport system for the Province,” Mr Allister continued.

“This is happening alongside investment of over £146 million for 23 new trains and over 450 new buses, as well as more wide scale infrastructure improvements where nearly £4.5 million is being spent on new, improved footways, new cycle lanes and cycle parking facilities and bus measures.”

(MB)