Sustainable travel for businesses and employees

Flexible working empowers staff to have more choice about where and when they work, subject to business considerations.  It can involve flexible start and finish times, remote working, or a combination of working remotely and in the employee’s usual workplace (hybrid working).

Management focus on results rather than on time or presence which can lead to improved productivity and a better work life balance for employees.  Many organisations are adopting flexible working because it makes good business sense and of course it’s better for the environment too.

Businesses can make public transport more cost-effective for employees by taking advantage of the corporate travel schemes offered by National Express and Transport for West Midlands.  They allow employers to buy discounted travel cards on behalf of their employees.  Employees then pay for the ticket over a 12-month period via deductions from their monthly salary. 

Joining the scheme is free, and every permanent employee on your payroll will be entitled to low-cost travel through the scheme, saving them money every month.  Many employers can reap tax benefits by participating in these schemes as well.

Reducing your carbon footprint when it comes to business travel is not only a responsible environmental choice, but also a prudent business decision.  Embracing virtual meetings and promoting sustainable practices among employees can make a significant difference.

Encourage employees to make sustainable travel their first choice when travelling to meetings and provide information on your intranet pages with links to journey planners and local cycle hire schemes.  If budgets allow, provide a fleet of electric pool bikes and EV vehicles, and encourage car sharing.

Remind employees that if they use a bicycle not owned by their employer for business journeys, as an employer you can pay them a mileage allowance of up to 20p per mile tax and NI free.

When someone starts a new job, it is likely to mean a change in their daily commute patterns.  The induction process provides a good opportunity to influence employee travel behaviours.

If your workplace has some form of new starter kit, consider adding a section on travel.  This can include information such as nearby public transport links, access to the site by walking and cycling, on-site facilities such as cycle parking, showers and lockers, and details of any car share schemes that exist.

You could tailor this advice further by providing a personalised journey plan from the employee’s home address to work by cycling, walking or public transport. There are many journey planning tools available for free online.  More informally, you can draw on the expertise of existing cyclists and public transport users in your workplace and nominate them as travel friendly staff members or ‘buddies’ for new and current employees to approach with questions around travel.

Encourage visitors to your premises to make sustainable travel choices.  Make sure your ‘how to get here’ pages are up to date and include information on local public transport links, timetables, ticket information, cycle parking facilities, cycle routes, cycle hire schemes (to link with public transport), walking routes and information on EV charging points.

You can also encourage employees to champion sustainable travel by getting them to offer journey planning information when they invite visitors to meetings.

Encourage your employees to use a car share scheme when travelling to work.  Car sharing can be formal, using an organised car share scheme, or informal - for example, friends or colleagues travelling to work together.  Passengers usually contribute towards the driver’s fuel costs.

Find out about setting up a workplace car sharing scheme.

The cycle to work scheme is a government initiative that allows employees to obtain a new bike, along with necessary equipment, via their employer.  It works as a salary sacrifice benefit which means employees can make tax and NI savings on the cost of a new bike.

Essentially, employees rent a new bike and equipment through their salaries, with the option to buy it at the end of the salary sacrifice period.  Employers pay for the equipment up front and then recover the cost through monthly payments.

Employees get a new bike and kit at a reduced price, with no upfront payment or interest, and the cost spread over 12 months or more.  They also save money long term on travel costs.

Solihull Council has teamed up with cycling platform Love to Ride to encourage commuters and residents of all abilities to cycle more.  Its free for businesses in Solihull to register and employees can participate in workplace challenges to win some great prizes. 

The scheme targets new, occasional, and experienced riders and provides a platform to track rides, monitor progress, see their carbon savings, and share local cycling routes.

See the potential benefits to your business Love to Ride Business.

Solihull Council is working in partnership with Living Streets, the UK charity promoting everyday walking.  Living Streets has years of experience working with workplaces to increase walking amongst employees. For more information see Living Streets workplaces or email sustainabletravel@solihull.gov.uk

If you live close enough to work, why not try walking your daily commute?  Walking to work is not only environmentally friendly but it is also a great way to feel energised before starting the working day.

A 30-minute walk equates to approximately 4,000 steps getting you well on the way to hitting the suggested 10,000 steps per day.

The NHS Active 10 app is a great way to help you monitor and gradually increase your walking levels over time.

Cycling to work is one of the most time-efficient ways to combine regular exercise with your everyday routine.  You could join your employee cycle to work scheme and save between 25-39% on a brand-new bike and equipment.

Cycle to work schemes allow you to rent a new bike and equipment and pay for it through your salary, with the option to buy it at the end of the salary sacrifice period for a fraction of the original cost.  As its through salary sacrifice you make tax and NI savings on the cost of a new bike. 

You get a new bike and kit at a reduced price, with no upfront payment or interest, and the cost spread over 12 months or more, as well as save money long term on travel costs.  Speak to your employer to find out more.

If you’re new to cycling or want to build confidence on the road, you could book onto one of our group or one-to-one cycle training sessions.  Training is free and delivered by a qualified instructor and if you don’t have a bike, we can arrange for you to borrow one.

Email: sustainabletravelteam@solihull.gov.uk to find out more about our courses.  We can also offer advice on e-bikes.

Solihull Council has teamed up with cycling platform Love to Ride to encourage commuters and residents of all abilities to cycle more.  Its free to sign-up and you can participate in workplace challenges and win some great prizes.

The scheme targets new, occasional, and experienced riders and provides a platform to track rides, monitor progress, see their carbon savings, and share local cycling routes.

Cycle hire schemes make cycling more accessible and play an important role in the transport network, filling the gap of trips that are too far to comfortably walk, but short enough to make public transport seem unnecessary by enabling people get to and from transport interchanges.

The West Midlands cycle hire scheme provides docking stations at major bus, metro and train stations, visitor attractions and city or town centres.