Transport planning

Medway Council considers company travel plans to be an effective demand management tool, both to reduce the number of trips made by private cars in connection with business and to reduce the overall need to travel.

It is desirable that Medway Council leads the way in encouraging its staff to travel to work in a sustainable (environmentally-friendly) way. The adoption of a company travel plan is a key element in the strategy and it is intended that, ultimately, a forum of major employers in Medway can be established to share initiatives around travel to work. The reduction in traffic congestion and the improvement of air quality are essential elements of the council’s core values.

Travel plans form an important part of Medway's Local Transport Plan (LTP). The second LTP, which runs from 2006 to 2011, includes targets for the development of more travel plans. During the first LTP period (2000-2006) 14 workplace travel plans were adopted, targeting in excess of 15,000 employees.

As the largest employer in Medway, with over 7,000 employees, the council hopes to lead by example in implementing a travel plan that offers a practical way for staff to help the environment through greener travel. It offers Medway Council employees a choice of options, including:

• the launch of the Medway Carshare scheme (www.medwaycarshare.com);
• a nine-day fortnight;
• bus ticket subsidies;
• interest-free loans;
• mileage allowances for motorcycles and bicycles used on official business;
• the chance to buy bicycles at discount prices.

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