Major employers can play their part by preparing green commuter plans which help employees to use alternatives to driving to work alone. This can make a major contribution to easing congestion, especially during rush hours. Smaller enterprises may wish to consider what they can do to help.
Green transport plans also address business' transport use and cover travel in the course of business. We will work with local authorities to help them secure widespread voluntary take-up of green transport plans through partnership with business and the wider community. Part of this will involve local authorities leading by example and setting targets in their local transport plans.
In preparing their green transport plans, businesses can use the report published last year by the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment (ACBE). This recommended that businesses develop commuter plans and set voluntary targets for reducing single person car commuting. As a guide, ACBE recommends that companies look to reduce by 10% the total number of people commuting to and from work, alone, by car. We will ask the Commission for Integrated Transporto monitor progress on the take-up of green transport plans.
Source: Transport 2000 "Changing journeys to work"
Partnership can help here, for example where local or regional public transport discounts are made available to organisations which commit to a green transport plan and appoint a staff travel coordinator to work on implementing and promoting it.
We will take the lead by introducing green transport plans in all Government Departments and their agencies. These will cover commuting, travel in the course of work, fleet management and influencing suppliers' travel behaviour and should reflect the advice provided in our "Guide to Green Transport Plans". We have set a target that all headquarters buildings and main buildings occupied by Executive Agencies and Government Offices for the Regions should have green transport plans by March 1999 and all other key buildings by March 2000.
