TRAVEL MANAGEMENT
Reducing the cost of business travel the green way
stipulated by the Climate Change Act (Scotland) 2009.
Business travel miles reduced by 9% between 2007/08 and 2009/10, considerable progress towards the target of 12% reduction by 2012.
The following are the green travel actions that were developed:
Cllr Iain Ross describes how The Highland Council is promoting green travel
region covers the largest geographical area of any local authority in the UK. At eight people per square kilometre, it is sparsely populated with only 25% of the population living in settlements of over 10,000 people.
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The Council employs approximately 12,800 staff. 7,000 miles of road dominate the region’s transport network. The mode of travel frequently chosen by staff to complete Council business has therefore been the car. In 2007/08, Highland Council business travel by car (grey fleet) comprised 7% of the Council’s total carbon footprint of 65,427 tonnes. This amounted to nearly 13 million miles.
In order to manage these emissions and associated costs, the Council set a target to reduce grey fleet CO2 by 12% from 2007/08 levels by 2012. Green travel actions were written into the Council’s revised Carbon Management Plan. The target was set at this level, to work towards achieveing the 42% emissions reduction by 2020,
36 pse
t 26,484 square kilometres, The Highland Council
A travel plan co-ordinator was employed to manage business travel and promote sustainable transport modes. A business travel hierarchy was developed and embedded across the organisation by way of a communication strategy. The travel hierarchy is a simple step-by-step guide which helps staff consider whether travel is absolutely necessary and whether other modes or alternatives are suitable. Alternative communication methods include: phone calls, emails, telephone/video or web conferencing and postponement until more business at a location is required.
The following guidance is given for alternative travel methods:
• If travel is required and the distance is suitable, walking or cycling are considered. A link to a website showing appropriate distances for active travel is provided.
• If the distance is too far, public transport is the next consideration. A link to public transport websites is provided which shows routes and times.
• If travel by car is deemed absolutely necessary, employees are urged to consider car-sharing.
Staff who share a business journey in their car with a colleague are paid 0.5 pence per mile. In 2008/09, 710,000 miles were claimed as passenger miles at a cost of £35,500. If staff had travelled these miles in separate cars, it is likely to have cost the Highland Council at least £248,000 more. This represents costs avoided and a carbon saving of 241 tonnes CO2.
The Council has a corporate efficiency programme which instigated a transport project, as it was felt that financial savings could be made within this area. Senior managers from across the organisation with a responsibility for travel meet monthly as a transport board. The board considers actions across the 3 main streams of transport within the organisation: business travel, fleet and demand-led (school and social work transport).
The transport board made the decision to reduce business travel budgets by 10% in financial year 2009/10 and 7% in 2010/11 amounting to a total reduction of £900k over the 2 years. The corporate efficiency programme has also developed a mobile and flexible working project which aims to reduce costs including staff travel by creating a flexible workforce that is able to deliver services in the most appropriate manner from the most suitable location. It is felt that the requirement for travel and office space can be reduced by increased use of mobile, home and flexible working.
In order that line managers can more closely manage staff travel, corporate and departmental business travel costs and CO2
Sep/Oct 10
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