News
News Archive:
2008
Newsletter Published
Issue 20 - April 2008, of the newsletter is now published. Click here to download a copy of April's newsletter.
Take A Stand - Cash for Cycle Stands - Bidding window open until 30 June 2008
Cash for employee cycle parking is available through 'Take A Stand' initiative run by TfW and funded by Cambridgeshire County Council. An application form and guidance notes can be downloaded by right clicking the hyperlinks below and 'save as'
Application Form
Guidance Notes
TfL Workplace Cycle Parking Guide
Sustrans Cycle Parking information sheet
Please contact TfW on 01223 712455 for further information about this scheme and if you wish to make an application. Deadline for receipt of applications is Monday 30 June 2008.
Click here for a copy of the press release.
(08 May 2008)
Travel Plans Don't have to be Taxing?
FREE TfW network meeting
Held 18th March 2008 - Mott MacDonald, Demeter House, Cambridge CB1 2RS
The Travel for Work network meeting was all about the tax issues associated with travel plans. This is an important area of Travel Planning and one, for good reason, is difficult to understand.
Professor Stephen Potter from the Open University, an acknowledged expert in this area, gave the main talk at the event; his presentation is attached below.
Stephen has produced a very helpful and accessible (and mercifully short!) guide to this area of travel planning, which is downloadable below. A short biography of Steven is also attached.
In addition Katarina McCartney and Chris Jablonski gave employer presentations on how Addenbrooke's Hospital, and Huntingdonshire District Council chose their tax efficient cycle purchase scheme (presentations downloadable below).
We are grateful to TfW employer, Mott MacDonald for having sponsored this event and for the lavish buffet.
2007
2007 TfW Survey - The best ever!
The 2007 travel to work survey saw 7,170 people from 28 organisations taking part - the best ever response. For the full picture click here for the TfW Survey 2007 results.
(03 Jan 2007)
Travel Planning Then, Now and into the future!
Travel for Work Conference - CANCELLED
It is with regret that the Travel for Work Partnership has had to cancel its conference that was due to take place 22nd November at Churchill College, Cambridge.
We have had too few delegates to make this a viable event.
The third annual Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Travel Plan Awards will however take place on the same day as planned. TfW is currently trying to find an alternative venue. We will let all attendees know once this has happened.
(3st Oct 2007)
CamShare Prize Draw!
during November 2007
CamShare, TfW's on-line car sharing data base www.camshare.info held a prize draw during the whole of November 2007.
Well done to the 5 lucky winners
- Val Bibbey at Cambourne Business Park who won a car safety pack £30
- Theresa Robinson & Liz Hawkins both of Cambridgeshire County Council each won £10 Marks & Spencer Voucher
- Michelle Riddick of Granta Park and Craig Thomas of Cambridgeshire County Council both won £10 WH Smith Card
The prize draw was open to new registrants and existing members who completed or up-dated their profile and searched for a car share match during November 2007.
CamShare is available to companies who have signed up to the scheme. If your company would like to have access please contact Mark Webb 01223 712429.
(31st Dec 2007)
Breakfast in the Antarctic!
TfW Breakfast Meeting:
Travel Plans and Climate Change
Attendees of the the latest TfW Network Breakfast held at and kindly sponsored by the British Antarctic Survey's (BAS) HQ in Cambridge, heard three extremely interesting and thought provoking presentations.
- BAS spoke about the research they are undertaking in the Antarctic into climate change and the initiatives they are implementing to reduce the environmental impact of the organisation.
- Papworth Hospital talked about why and how they have linked their new travel plan to the climate change agenda.
- And BEMS (Business Environmental Management Scheme) based in Peterborough spoke on how to link Travel Plans into wider environmental management schemes, such as ISO 14001.
We have had such positive feedback from the attendees of the breakfast that we are re-running the breakfast, allowing more time for the presentations and networking. So look out for details of the next breakfast to be held early next year.
To download these presentations please visit our case studies page.
(21 June 2007)
Newsletter Published
Issue 19 - May 2007, of the newsletter is now published. Click here to download a copy of May's newsletter.
PLEDGES TO THE SCIENCE OF TRAVEL PLANNING
Travel for Work has brought together big business and Cambridge transport chiefs to join together for the first time to pledge to make the daily commute more environmentally friendly.
Companies at the Cambridge Science Park have joined forces with the Travel for Work Partnership, the Highways Agency and Cambridgeshire County Council to launch Cambridge’s first Area Travel Plan.
Pledges were signed on Wednesday, May 2007, by these organisations committing them to helping to meet the aims of the plan. “The plan’s main focus is to encourage more cycling, walking, public transport use and car sharing over the next three years. A number of initiatives will be implemented to help commuters access more transport choices,” said David Abbott of the Highways Agency, which has funded the travel plan development stage.
For more information click here.
Get your reward in November!
We are very pleased to announce the 2007 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Travel Plan Awards.
Whether you have just starting out on the travel plan process, or are maintaining an established travel plan you could be eligible for an award in 2007.
“The Awards are a great way to get publicity for your efforts, and can be very motivating both for you and your staff,” said Richard Bettle at TfW. “So get in touch now to see which award you could get.”
The 2007 Awards ceremony will be held at Churchill College Cambridge on Thursday 22 November 2007.
If you would like to apply for an award please contact Richard Bettle or Mark Webb on 01223 712429 or email info@tfw.org.uk
TfW welcomes new partner
The Travel for Work Steering Group is delighted to welcome new group member, Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC).
“We have been grateful for TfW’s help in developing our own travel plan, and we know that the team is working with many of the larger employers in our district,” said Chris Jablonski, HDC’s Environment Team Leader. “We are looking forward to becoming more involved in running the TfW project.”
HDC will join other local councils, Cambridge City, South Cambridgeshire and the County Council, on the TfW steering group. HDC has also become a funding partner.
(3 April 07)
Travel Plan Power (Point) to download
Two members of the Travel for Work Partnership's network of employers gave very interesting presentations at the TfW and Chambers of Commerce joint breakfast meeting in February 2007.
The two very different companies showed us that any company of any size, of any type, can benefit from putting enthusiasm and effort into travel planning initiatives.
Mott MacDonald, is a national consultancy with 400 employees in offices near Cambridge railway Station has been a member of TfW for four years.
Marshall Group of Companies was one of the first companies to join TfW in 1998. The group is based at its Airport site on the eastern fringe of Cambridge, employing over 2,500 people.
Marshall's location, size and type of work could not be in greater contrast to the Mott MacDonald scenario.
To download these short interesting presentations visit the case studies page of this website.
(20 Mar 07)
CamShare Prize Draw held 6 Mar 2007
Three winners have been drawn from those who registered or up-dated their profile and searched on CamShare between 20th February and 5th March. Sarah Cooper of Cambridgeshire County Council, Gareth Norman of Global Graphics at Cambourne Business Park and an employee of Cambridge Consultants Ltd at Cambridge Science Park, have each won a WH Smith card to the value of £20.
TfW will shortly be running prizes for those car sharing. To enter the prize draw just click on www.camshare.info register and search to find a match or if you are car sharing up-date your profile.
If you have car sharing anecdotes, helpful hints or beneficial outcomes + photos to share with us we'd like to hear from you, please call 01223 712455.
(8 Mar 2007)
Employers to Chew Over Congestion:TfW & Chamber Breakfast - Friday 9th Feb 2007
company and contact details.
Press release:
Congestion is bad for business. Traffic is set to increase. Much needed road improvements, especially on the A14, are some time off. So what can be done to combat congestion now?
A special breakfast on Friday 9 February will give Cambridgeshire businesses ideas to help reduce congestion, save commuters’ time and money, help the environment and help the local economy.
The event at Cambridge City Airport is being run jointly by the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce and the Travel for Work (TfW) Partnership.
Two Chamber members, Marshalls of Cambridge and consultant firm Mott MacDonald will offer travel plan tips to fellow employers by drawing on their own experiences and successful travel initiatives. They will explain how and, importantly, why they have decided to implement schemes that help their employees get into work each day.
Councillor John Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Community and the Environment will detail the County Council’s support for employers who undertake travel initiatives.
John Bridge OBE, Chief Executive of the Chambers of Commerce, who will also talk at the meeting, said:
“Increasing congestion on the roads is a growing concern for businesses and individuals across Cambridgeshire, not least because of the severe financial impact that it is having on those worst affected.
“Be it through lost hours due to staff finding themselves delayed on the roads, or penalties suffered due to missed delivery deadlines, businesses are quickly realising that something must be done sooner rather than later.”
Councillor Reynolds said :
“There has already been much good work undertaken by organisations in Cambridgeshire. If more employers get involved, together they will make a real impact on congestion. And the great news is that travel initiatives are fun and can greatly benefit the health of the company, the health of commuters, as well the health of the environment.”
Mark Webb, Development Manager at TfW, added:
“Over forty Cambridgeshire employers, with over 44,000 employees are already benefiting from promoting sustainable commuting. Even small and inexpensive schemes can make a real difference to the numbers of cars on the road. TfW can provide free advice and access to a raft of services that make travel planning easy.”
(19 Jan 07)
2006
TfW employers rewarded for commuter plans
Employers who are encouraging healthy and environmentally friendly commuting were rewarded last night (Tuesday 12th September) at a high profile event.
The second annual Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Workplace Travel Plan Awards were presented by Jacqui Wilkinson, Head of Sustainable Travel Initiatives at the Department for Transport at a ceremony on Tuesday 12th September at Peterborough Town Hall.
"‘Twenty Two employers received awards, says Richard Bettle, Travel Plan Advisor at the Travel for Work Partnership (TfW) who run the awards in collaboration with the Travelchoice Team in Peterborough.
The awards range from the 'Certificate of Commitment', where a company's senior management have signed up to produce a travel plan. This certificate was awarded to TfW employers Papworth Hospital and the Wildlife Trust at Cambourne. At the other end of the range is the 'Travel Plan Excellence Award', for businesses with mature travel plans that are now wedded into the way they do business – TfW employers Cambourne Business Park and the University of Cambridge receive this award last night. 
TfW Award recipients 2006
In 2007 the awards will again be held in Cambridge. “2007 will see the celebration of ten years of the Travel for Work Partnership”, says Mark. “We are planning to include the Awards ceremony into those celebrations.”
Employers wishing for an award in 2007 should contact Richard Bettle on 01223 712429 or email info@tfw.org.uk.
The event was kindly sponsored by:
- Cambridgeshire County Council
- Peterborough City Council
A list of organizations receiving awards is attached.
Employers receiving awards in 2006 are:
Certificate of Commitment
- Atkins
- BNP Paribas Securities Services
- English Nature
- EMAP
- Identity and Passport Service,
- Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Peterborough Regional College
- UK Centre for Economic and Environmental Development (UKCEED)
- Wildlife Trust (Beds, Cambs, Northants & Peterborough)
Certificate of Development
- Cambridgeshire County Council (Sackville House)
- Huntingdonshire District Council
- Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT)
Certificate of Implementation
- Axiom Housing Association
- Greater Peterborough Primary Care Partnership
- Mott Macdonald
- Royal Haskoning
- Tesco distribution centre
Travel Plan Award
- The Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Travel Plan Excellence Award
- Cambourne Business Park
- University of Cambridge
Certificate of Continuing Excellence
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Wellcome Trust’s Genome Campus
CamShare Prize Draw
Four lucky winners were drawn on Monday 25 September.
Prize winners are:
- £100 Grafton Centre voucher to spend in all shops, bars and Robert Sayle - Mike Davies of Cambridgeshire County Council
- Dinner (3 courses + wine) for Two at the Old Fire Engine House in Ely - Gurusimha krishnamurthy of ip Access at Cambourne Business Park
- WH Smith voucher £20 - Citrix Systems at Cambourne Business Park
- WH Smith voucher £20 - Sarah Hobson Cambs Constabulary at Huntingdon
To win the prize draw registered members undertook a search for a car share match during two weeks beginning 11th and 18th September. See our press release for more information.
Imaginary car - real car sharers! Front row Mike Davies driving; Gurusimha Krishnamurthy near side passenger: rear seats left to right Linda Cox, Richard Hales and Lesley Scobell.
June 06
Chewing over Travel Plans at Breakfast
The previous Breakfast meeting was held on Tuesday, June 6, at the Trinity Centre on the Cambridge Science Park by the Travel for Work Partnership.
Over 25 breakfasteers found out how their organisation might benefit from the Guided Busway scheme. They also learned how, and why, the Welcome Trust has embraced travel to work initiatives at its Genome Campus at Hinxton.
There was also be ample opportunity for guests to quiz a panel of local employers who have benefited from encouraging their commuting employees to cycle, walk, take the bus or car share.
Mark Webb, Development Manager at Travel for Work said: “These initiatives are fun, cheap and can greatly benefit the environment, the health of commuters, as well as the health of the company!”
TfW Breakfasts are free and give employers an opportunity to network with others who are developing travel initiatives.
The next TfW Breakfast takes place in Huntingdon on Tuesday 31 October 2006. Anyone wishing to attend should contact Travel for Work on 01223 723429.
Clock's ticking to win an Award for your Travel Plan
Travel for Work is delighted to announce that the 2006 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Travel Plan Awards will take place on Tuesday 12th September at Peterborough Town Hall. The awards will be presented by Jacqui Wilkinson from the Department for Transport.
The deadline for application to the awards is Friday 16 June.
May 06
We're giving £££s for Cycle Stands
Your employer could benefit from a share of the pot of money to provide or improve cycle parking. To apply for cash towards cycle stands/covers/security sheds see the application form and explanation notes for the "Take A Stand" scheme or phone 01223 712455/2429. The bidding window is open until 11 August 2006.
(18 May 06)
All organisations in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough with a Travel Plan, or working towards one, can apply. Those that received awards last year and have progressed their travel plan can also apply for the next stage award.
For more information on the Travel Plan Awards scheme click here.
Contact us now on 01223 712429.
(28 April 2006)
April 06
TfW employers add years to life!
TfW employers who are encouraging more sustainable travel are improving air qualty for us all and are helping improve the life expectancy of the public at large, according to a recent consultation statment from the Government.
The consultation on new measures to tackle air pollution could extend life expectancy, cut environmental damage from acidic air pollution and generate benefits of £1.4billion a year, the government said.
To see the full Dept for Environment press release click here.
(10 April 2006)
Transport Green Heroes
The Observer Newspaper has joined forces with the Energy Saving Trust and Fleet News to find those organisations that do all they can to reduce the cost and environmental impact of their fleets.
The Green Fleet Heroes Awards are open to all organisations, public, or private, large or small.
For more information and how to apply please click here to go to the green heroes website. The closing date is 30 June 2006.
March 06
Happy Valet for CamShare!
CamShare, Cambridgeshire's on line car sharing scheme has celebrated its successful launch in Huntingdon with a super Prize Draw.
All new members of the scheme from Cambridgeshire Police HQ, Huntingdonshire District Council and Luminus Group had the chance of winning.
The lucky winner of the full car valet from Reeves Valeting of St Ives was Lesley Bailey, from Cambridgeshire Police Headquarters. She received her her valet on Friday 17 March. Caroline Higgins at Huntingdonshire District Council has won a meal for two and with a bottle of wine at Prima Italian restaurant in Huntingdon.
‘' I am delighted to be getting a beautifully clean car, inside and out, ‘ said Lesley. ’Although I’ve not found a car share match yet it is early days, and I’ll keep trying.’
Linda Cox and Colin Luscombe from
Police HQ facilities team
with lucky winner Lesley Bailey
'‘I am really looking forward to my meal at Prima’, said Caroline. '‘CamShare has introduced me to others wishing to car share from my home village which we will be doing on an occasional basis.’
‘'We were delighted with the response to the launch in Huntingdon,’ said Mark Webb. Development Manager of Travel for Work Partnership (TfW), which manages CamShare.
Over 75 people at the three Huntingdon employers have placed their details on the database. Travel for Work is planning more Prize Draws through the year.
‘We are confident that CamShare can help many commuters save time, reduce stress and make new friends,’ said Mark. ‘In addition car sharing has a positive effect on congestion and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.’
Already CamShare has been successful for major employers in and around Cambridge.
Cllr Bucknell, Chan Abrams, Cmndr Edens and Mark Webb at the launch of CamShare in Huntingdon in Janary 2006
CamShare is available to commuters of registered organisations. Employers wishing to find out more should contact Travel for Work on 01223 712429 or email info@tfw.org.uk.
(15 March 06)
More Chat, Less Travel, Fewer Pounds!
Holding meetings can save time, save money and help save the environment! Unlikely? Read on…
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Travel Plan Awards, held in September 2005, were a joint effort between Travel for Work and Peterborough’s Travel Choice team. We decided to practice what we preach and used the telephone rather than the combustion engine to get ourselves together.
We held five teleconferencing meetings during the planning for the event. Doing this:
- saved 20 hours, that would otherwise been spent driving
- saved over £700 in staff time and traveling costs
- stopped 176kg of CO2 being released into the atmosphere.
An unexpected benefit was that we found the meetings were very productive, focused and short! However it does help to know the person at the other end of the phone – and if regular meetings are to be held it is useful to meet face to face at the beginning to establish a relationship.
The teleconferencing equipment was easy to set up and use; you just plug into power and phone sockets and dial the number!
If you would like more information on teleconferencing and how it can save your organisation time and money please contact TfW.
January 06
Fewer and fewer lonely drivers!
The Travel for Work Partnership (TfW) is delighted to report that employers on its network have achieved their lowest ever figure for driving alone into work
40% of all journeys were undertaken by this mode - down by 4% on last year! The significance of this is highlighted by comparison with the last census figure for Cambridgeshire which was 59.5% for the same travel mode.
"Once more TfW employers are making a real difference to their own business success and the health and fitness of their employees," said Mark Webb, Development Manager at the Travel for Work Partnership. "They are also making significant contributions to the reduction in CO2 emissions."
The results also show increases in cycling, walking, motorbiking and teleworking.
"These are very positive figures," said Mark. "We shall continue to work hard with employers, throughout 2006 to maintain and hopefully improve on these figures."
The figures for car sharing and bus use were 11% and 7% respectively - the same figures for the Census are 5.55% and 3.36%.
Whilst these are good results, the percentage share for these two modes has remained fairly static over recent years. Travel for Work is preparing a number of initiatives for 2006 that will help get numbers of bus and car sharing commuters up.
"On car sharing, for example, we have just significantly improved CamShare our car sharing website," enthused Mark. "We were delighted to welcome three employers from Huntingdon onto the scheme in January," (see below).
The yearly survey is of a varying group of employers. It is therefore important that TfW (with assistance from data managers at the County Council) use a reasonable calculation that allows the report of year on year trends.
This is done by combining and weighting the results of ten TfW employers who have taken part in the survey for the last five years.
Click here to see details of the TfW Core Group Results 2005.
If you have any questions about the survey please contact call Mark Webb on 01223 712429 or email info@tfw.org.uk.
(updated 25 Jan 06)
MultiBus gives multi choice
Travel for Work is delighted to report a major breakthrough for bus travel in Cambridgeshire.
MultiBus, a new ticket, has been launched that can be used on the virtually any bus in the county.
The tickets are purchased on the bus (simply state your destination and ask for a MultiBus ticket). Travelers can purchase daily Multibus for £6 or a seven-day Multibus for 25.
'This is really great news for commuters,' says Paul Nelson,
Local Passenger Transport Manager at the County Council. 'For example someone living in Huntingdon and working at Addenbrooke's Hospital will be able to take either the Hunts & District or Whippet Coaches bus to Cambridge bus station and then change to a Stagecoach bus to the hospital - with only having to purchase one ticket!'
'If that person buys a weekly Multibus,' continues Paul, 'They could also use the ticket to go shopping in Peterborough at the weekend. It really is very simple - and very convenient.'
Mark Webb at TfW, said, 'This is a major development and we hope that TfW employers will do all they can to promote MultiBus to their staff. Let someone else do the driving! When its this easy why not!'
For more information on MultiBus and details of the area covered by the scheme go to the County Council's website.
MultiBus allows unlimited travel on buses run by the following companies:
- A & P Coaches
- Burton
- Cambridge Blue
- Cavalier
- Cedar Coaches
- Huntingdon & District
- Myall
- Stagecoach
- Whippet
Employers wishing to promote MultiBus can receive posters and leaflets via TfW. Please contact us here.
(Jan 06)
2005
University gets parking praise for park and cycle site
The country’s first ever Park & Cycle facility was set up by TfW Steering Group member, the University of Cambridge, in 2001. Four years on it is proving extremely popular and has just received a Safer Parking Award in recognition of the high standard of its facilities.
Situated just off Madingley Road, next to the University’s growing science and technology campus at West Cambridge, there are spaces for 292 cars, and 300 secure sheltered cycle lockers. From there, staff can ride safely into the town centre along the Coton footpath in just ten minutes.
Good for traffic congestion, good for the health of University staff and good for security, the Park and Cycle is proving another winner in the University’s range of transport for Work policies.
Some spare parking spaces and cycle lockers are available to University staff only for a one-off charge of only £1 per year. Click here for further information on Park and Cycle.
(Dec 05)
That's the way to do it!
-University staff
Park and Cycle
