CCLCSL 12/12/2005 AGENDA ITEM 7 APPENDIX D SOUTH LAKELAND DISTRICT COUNCIL TRAVEL PLAN
Consultation Draft - November 2003
CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION
Travel Plan Background – What is a Travel Plan? Why Prepare a Travel Plan? Kendal Work Travel Plan
2 SOUTH LAKELAND TRAVEL PLAN
Scope Consultation and Awareness Raising South Lakeland Travel Plan – corporate arrangements Data Collection
3 QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY AND RESULTS
A profile of Respondents Current Travel to Work Patterns Attitudes to Alternatives to Travelling to Work by Car Business Travel and Essential/Casual Car Users Parking and Car Park Permits Working Practices Additional Comments
4 ASSESSMENT OF MAIN WORK SITES & ORGANISATIONAL POLICY
Assessment of Main Work Sites Organisational Policy
5 OBJECTIVES, MEASURES, TARGETS AND INDICATORS
Objectives The Measures — making it happen Local Authority Commitment Education, Awareness and Promotion Improved Accessibility to Work Sites and Provision of Work Facilities Car Sharing Bus and Train Travel Walking and Cycling Business Travel Flexible Working Practices Cars and Car Parking
6 IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING & REVIEW
APPENDICES
A Objectives of Kendal Travel Plan Steering Group B Staff and Members Questionnaire-Initial Analysis C Detailed Work Site Assessment and Organisational Policy Review. D Car Parking and Permits for Staff and Members in Kendal and South Lakeland House Car Park Detail E Train and Bus Services F Travel Allowances and Essential/Casual Car users
FIGURES
I Location of Staff Work Sites 2 Kendal — Main Work Sites and District Council Car Parks 3 South Lakeland House Area 4 Canal Head Depot and Aynam Mills 5 Kendal Leisure Centre
TRAVEL PLAN
SOUTH LAKELAND DISTRICT COUNCIL
Mission Statement: The South Lakeland Travel Plan aims to promote greener, cleaner travel choices and reducing reliance on the car.
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 South Lakeland District Council has committed itself to preparing a Travel Plan for its staff and elected members:- a decision first made by the Policy and Resources Committee in July 2001 which was endorsed by Cabinet in March 2002.
1.2 This Consultation Draft Report (**** 2003) presents outline proposals for consultation and discussion with staff, members, union and management. The outline proposals are based on findings from the staff and member questionnaire survey undertaken in Summer 2002 and a recent review of how travel choice is influenced by the Council’s current policies, as well as the facilities and management of the principle work sites and car parks.
1.3 The Travel Plan aims to increase travel choice through better travel awareness and the exchange of travel information. The Plan seeks to identify alternatives which will lead to a less congested and polluted Kendal Town Centre and a healthier workforce. The District Council would like to encourage staff and members to use more environmentally friendly alternatives than driving alone, at least for some of their journeys. To do this the Travel Plan will enable employees to see alternatives as viable, which may require upgrading the quality of alternatives and the way we organise work practice at South Lakeland.
1.4 The 3 essential ingredients for a successful South Lakeland Travel Plan are:
• Visible commitment to the Travel Plan, and implementing it at all levels in the organisation; including leading by example and providing minimum resources required.
• An emphasis on education and awareness of the benefits of the Travel Plan to staff and members-winning hearts and minds through persuasion and appropriate inducement and incentives.
• An emphasis on implementation and monitoring -agreeing and putting in place practical measures, rather than preparing weighty reports.
What is a Travel Plan?
1.5 A Travel Plan is a means whereby an organisation agrees a package of measures aimed at reducing reliance on car travel and promoting alternative travel choices. Travel Plans are not about banning cars, saving money or restricting individual freedom, but taking steps to promote realistic alternatives, where they exist. Important components of the Travel Plan will include:
• A set of objectives identifying what South Lakeland District Council is trying to achieve from the Travel Plan • Actions/measures for achieving the objectives • Targets to determine whether the objectives are being achieved • Steps to ensure on-going implementation and periodic review as the organisational and external conditions change. • On-going monitoring of The Plan
Why Prepare a Travel Plan?
1.6 Travel Plans are a key element of National Transport Strategy (White Paper, 1998), which recognises the benefits of Travel Plans and their important contribution to traffic management in towns and cities. South Lakeland District Council is a significant employer in Kendal and it is hoped that the Travel Plan, when implemented, will change employee and member travel behaviour. Although significant, the District Council is not a large employer. To overcome the issue of size, in Kendal several larger public and private employers are preparing Travel Plans so that the combined effort can make a real impact on travel patterns, It is important that the Council is an active participant in this town-wide initiative. The District Council as Local Planning Authority requires that Travel Plans are submitted alongside applications for major developments. Such requests carry more weight when the Council has itself prepared and adopted its own Travel plan. The South Lakeland Local Plan includes a policy on Travel Plans which stems from the White Paper and National Planning Policy Guidance Note 13 on transport.
Kendal Work Travel Plan
1.7 Travel Plans are usually prepared by large single organisations, often with several thousand employees. The Government’s Energy Efficiency Best Practise Programme (EEBPP) is providing free consultancy advice for an innovative approach in Kendal, where several medium sized employers are working together preparing their own Travel Plans as part of a town wide ‘Kendal Work Travel Plan’, see Appendix A.
1.8 The exercise arose from Cumbria County Council’s commitment in its Local Transport Plan (July 2000) to prepare a Travel Plan for its own site in Kendal and to encourage the co-ordinated preparation of Travel Plans by other larger employers (on a voluntary basis). The Kendal Travel Plan Steering Group, whose objectives are set out at Appendix A, oversees this process. Kendal organisations preparing a Travel Plan include:
• Cumbria County Council (County Offices Complex including Police, Fire, Ambulance) • South Lakeland District Council • Lake District National Park Authority • Westmorland General Hospital • K.Village Outlet Centre • Westmorland Shopping Centre • Booths • ASDA • Stricklandgate House
1.9 The aim is to have the Travel Plans completed for all of these organisations by the Spring 2004. The South Lakeland District Council Travel Plan has not been prepared in isolation but is part of a wider “Kendal Work Travel Plan” approach. These (and other) collective measures to “manage traffic demand” are intended to complement the physical traffic measures already introduced and those still proposed for Kendal. Working jointly to introduce measures, or working in partnership with transport providers, will be more effective than working in isolation.
2. SOUTH LAKELANDTRAVELPLAN
Policy Context
2.1 South Lakeland District Council is responsible for the environmental, social and economic well-being of the District. The District Council has set 6 objectives in its strategic plan to develop and improve services throughout the District. Those strategic objectives relevant to the Travel Plan are:
• A high quality environment • Good transport facilities • Healthy and safe communities • Homes which meet need • Opportunities for enjoyment • Quality jobs in a diverse economy
2.2 The District Council’s objectives link with the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP). The LSP is a diverse group of organisations pulled together to provide a starting point for developing the community strategy. The community strategy is based on the needs and aspirations of local people. Consultation on these needs and aspirations has raised the issues of transport and environment as being important. The community plan, when finished, will be the overall strategy that drives the priorities of the District Council. Other key documents and initiatives feeding into the community plan are: • The Improvement and Modernisation Programme undertaken by The Morecambe Bay Health Trust • Statutory Planning documents prepared by District and County Councils • The Promotion of Economic, Social or Environmental Well-being. Legislation enabling every Local Authority to have the power to do anything which they consider is likely to achieve the promotion or improvement of the economic, social or environmental well-being of their area.
2.3 The Travel Plan picks up elements of all of the strategies and plans and provides a manageable tool for identifying and implementing travel choice measures
Scope
2.4 The Travel Plan will establish travel patterns with its questionnaire survey. Having established a baseline of data a thorough investigation was undertaken to assess the needs of employees and Members in terms of their travelling and working requirements. Those Kendal offices will be South Lakeland House, Canal Head and the Leisure Centre, but measures and benefits will apply across both the Council and the District as far as possible in the interest of inclusion and equity. The Travel Plan will seek to encourage and enable staff and members to use alternatives to the car, where practicable, when travelling to work or on Council business. Travel Plans are about widening choice, not about banning cars or limiting individual freedom. Fleet management has not been part of the assessment.
2.5 Travel choice is determined by a number of factors. Factors such as employee contracts, the availability of parking spaces and the need to travel during the working hours are controlled and administered directly by the District Council. Other factors such as the availability of buses are not directly related to the District Council, but such information can be used to apply pressure to those organisations responsible. As part of the Kendal Work Travel Plan Group the District Council can work in partnership to gain improvements along with other organisations in Kendal.
Consultation and Awareness Raising
2.6 The Travel Plan has been prepared with the full participation and consultation of staff, members and unions. A questionnaire was sent to all staff and Members, an internal working group representative of staff was established and,. .(focus groups etc-) The Travel Plan has closely involved the services of Alan James, of the Governments Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme (EEBPP). Alan James has provided 5 days free professional consultancy advice to each participating organisation in the Kendal Travel Plan Working Group.
2.7 Raising awareness and providing travel education is key to a successful Travel Plan. Momentum in the Travel Plan will be kept going with staff involvement as initiatives are ‘rolled out’. Staff will also be kept in touch on the progress of the achieving targets and objectives by successes being publicised.
The South Lakeland Travel Plan — corporate arrangements
2.8 The Travel Plan has been prepared under the auspices of a Working Group. The group includes:
• Transportation Portfolio Holder, ClIr Bob Barker • Elected Member Representation, Cllr David Miller • 2 Travel Plan Co-ordinators • 2 representatives from each directorate • Unison and GMB representation • Management representative from Strategy and Planning Directorate and Human Resources
2.9 The General Purposes Committee oversee the preparation of the South Lakeland Travel Plan. The Travel Plan Working Group will develop proposals and recommendations taking full account of the results of consultation, and report these to Cabinet and Council.
Data Collection
2.10 A staff and member survey was completed in the Summer 2002 with an excellent response of 334 (about 50%). Data was inputted into a statistical package and the raw results can be found in Appendix B. A review of organisational policies and an assessment of South Lakeland District Council work sites was also undertaken, Appendix C. The analysis of these two pieces of work has helped determine the Travel Plan objectives and a package of proposed measures. 3. QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY RESULTS
3.1 This section provides an initial review of data on the circumstances and opinions of staff and members on work/business travel issues, based on a questionnaire survey undertaken in June 2002. It seeks to draw out conclusions, which point to issues, and opportunities for possible Travel Plan measures set out later. A fuller review, including cross-tabulation of responses, can follow to address particular issues and questions.
3.2 A Profile of Respondents
3.2.1 Response (Q21)
334 questionnaires were returned giving a response rate of 49%:
Total Staff Members Questionnaire Response Full Time Staff 515 256 (50%) Part Time Staff 116 57 (49%) Members 55 18 (33%) Totals 686 331
3.2.2 Gender and Age (Q33 &Q34)
42% of respondents were male and 58% female. The largest number of staff / members fall in the 45-54 age bracket (31%). 17% were 55 years old or over, but only 6% were aged 24 or under. The age and gender had little relation to travel mode, although it may have affected reasons for choosing a particular mode of transport.
3.2.3 Disability (Q35)
9 respondents indicated a disability that affected choice of transport.
3.2.4 Work Location (Q19) see figure 1
The main sites were (approx)
• South Lakeland House 180 • Shearman House 35 • Canal Head/Aynam Mills 23
…… with smaller numbers at Kendal and Ulverston Leisure Centres, Of 79 “elsewhere”, about 25 worked in Ulverston and 25 in Ambleside/Windermere.
3.2.5 Home (Q36)
Most responding lived in the following towns and villages
• Kendal 129 • Ambleside 7 • Ulverston 21 • Milnthorpe 4 • Windermere 19 • Kirkby Lonsdale 2 • Grange 8
Others living in smaller villages or rural areas of South Lakeland;
• Furness 7 • Cartmel Pennisula 16 • South Westmorland 66 • Lake District 5 • Yorkshire Dales 6
Outside South Lakeland;
• Rest of Cumbria (including 9 at Barrow and 2 at Dalton) 22 • North Lancashire (including 5 at Lancaster) 21 • Cheadle 1
3.2.6 Conclusions — Profile of Respondents
• The questionnaire response appears broadly representative • Largely supports a focus on Kendal work sites, while noting that significant numbers work elsewhere, notably Ulverston and Ambleside/Windermere
3.3 Current Travel To Work Patterns
3.3.1 Methods of Travel to Work (QI)
Percentage % Cars Walk Cycle Motorbike Bus Train Taxi Other SLDC 66* 24 3 4 3 0 0 8 County Offices 79 13 6 3 1 1 North West 78 16 3 1 6 1 UK 70 11 3 1 8 6
(*including 10% or 35 people, participating in car share)
3.3.2 Secondary Mode of Travel to Work (Q2 & Q3)
Of 287 responses, 30% have no alternatives. Relatively popular alternatives to travelling in a car alone included:
• Car Sharing - 14% • Walking - 13% • Bus - 8% • Cycling - 6%
Of the 207 respondents who gave further details on how often they used a secondary mode of travel to work, 39% rarely or never used the secondary mode over their primary method of travel. A further 11% only used the secondary mode on a seasonally basis due to factors such as the weather. 57 respondents stated that they used the secondary mode of travel either one or two days a week. This represents over a quarter of the respondents who use an alternate mode of travel every week.
3.3.3 Distance and Time to Work (Q4 & Q5)
Of 321 responses, 27% live within 1 mile of work and a further 26% live between 1 and 5 miles. When using the main mode of transport to work 44% of staff/members live within a 15 minute journey of work. This increases to 84% when the journey time is increased to 30 minutes. The results are similar when considering the secondary mode of travelling to work. 46% have a journey of 15 minutes or less and 84% a journey of less then 30 minutes.
3.3.4 Reasons for Using the Car (Q6)
The main reasons cited were:
• Car required for work (or to be available at work) • Public transport not available • Speed, convenience and cost including its use by other family members and weather factors
3.3.5 Conclusions — Current Travel to Work Patterns
• SLDC staff and Members travel to work by car 10% less than the regional average. Also 10% journeys already involve car-sharing. Building and developing existing good practise may be a valuable way forward. • Secondary modes of travel also point to the potential for more car-sharing and walking, and to a lesser extent transfer to biking, bus or cycling. • The high proportion living within 1 to 5 miles of work points to the potential to increase walking and cycling and perhaps using buses.
3.4 Attitudes to Alternatives to Travelling to Work by Car
3.4.1 Park and Ride (Q7)
Of 257 responses, 67% would not use it (or it would not apply) mainly because the car is needed for work or other purposes, and the inconvenience of transferring to public transport or other modes.
3.4.2 Using a Car Less Often? (Q8)
While 24% would not change for any reason, modest numbers indicated that the following factors would “encourage” them to use the car less often.
Primary Factors Secondary Factors • Better bus services/facilities 22% • Better train services 4% • effective car share scheme 9% • increased driving costs 3% • Pool cars available (business • Improved transport information 2% travel 9% • Worse traffic conditions 9% • Better pedestrian and cycling facilities 2% • employee bus service 7% • discounted travel costs 6%
3.4.3 Factors in Not Travelling to Work by Car (Q12)
The main factors were:
• Being close enough not to need to drive • Enjoying walking or cycling • Cheaper not to drive • Health and fitness
Others noted not having parking at work or environmental reasons, several did not have the option due to not having a car or licence.
3.4.4 Alternatives available to Usual Methods of Travel (Q13)
Respondents noted the bus, cycling, walking or taking a taxi as available alternatives. 14% had no access to any alternative.
3.4.5 Factors, which would encourage use of Alternative (Q14-17)
The most common factors, which would encourage use of the following alternative modes, are:
Public Transport (Q14)
- Cheaper buses and trains - Buses which are more frequent, reliable and direct - Flexible working hours
For many nothing would encourage use of public transport
Cycling (Q15)
Most responded that nothing would encourage cycling to work, but others would be encouraged by:
- Shower and changing facilities - Improved cyclepaths - Workplace lockers
Walking (Q16)
Again nothing would encourage most to change, but popular factors included:
- Shower and changing facilities - Traffic reduction - Improved pedestrian routes - Improved lighting
Car Sharing (Q17)
While 25% said nothing would encourage car sharing, other popular factors included:
- help in finding car share partners (15%) - reduced cost and free parking for car sharers (14%) - reserved parking (12%) - free taxi if let down (6%)
3.4.6 How often would Alternatives be used if Improvements made? (Q18)
For trains, taxis and motorbikes, the response was very low. Those indicating they would use an alternative daily or 1-2 days a week were:
• Car sharing - 44% (of 179 responses) • Bus - 32% (of 170 responses) • Cycling - 19% (of 158 responses) with further 15% willing to consider on seasonal basis • Walking - 37% (of 165 responses)
3.4.7 Conclusions — Attitudes to Alternatives to Travelling to Work by Car
• For most staff or Members using a car to get to work, the best alternatives are at worst unavailable, or at best unattractive (when compared to the benefits of car use) • However, a significant minority is prepared to consider various alternatives, particularly if various improvements are put into place • Area with the most potential appear to be:
- car-sharing - improved provision of pool cars - buses - walking and cycling
• Areas with very limited potential seem to include the use of trains, taxis and motorbikes
3.5 Business Travel and Essential/Casual Car Users
3.5.1 Essential/Casual Car Users (Q11)
It is suspected that some respondents may have considered using a car to get to work as essential use, but this does not qualify them for financial compensation. The data for the questionnaire shows that 47% of the respondents considered themselves to be essential car users, 27% casual users and the remaining 26% were neither essential nor casual. Data in Appendix F shows that South Lakeland District Council employs 169 essential users and 79 casual users.
3.5.2 Business Travel (Q24 - Q26)
58% of the 328 respondents indicated that they do travel during the working day for business purposes. Of these people 40% travelled most days, 24% travelled most weeks and 36% only travelled during the working day on business purposes on an occasionally basis. Over a period of an average month staff travelled a range of distances, some less than 50 miles and some as much as 2000 miles. 30% of the respondents travelled on average less then 100 miles a month. The majority (48%) travelled between 100 and 500 miles and the remaining 22% travelled over 500 business miles a month.
3.5.3 Mode of Business Travel (Q27 & Q28)
Of those staff who travel during the working day on business purposes 77% used only the car. A further 8% used a car and a secondary mode such as walking or the bus. The remaining 15% used alternative modes of transport for business travel. These include car sharing, buses and walking. A total of 4% walk as their principal mode of business travel. Of those members of staff would undertake business travel by car, 88% use their own private car on most occasions. Only 10% use pool cars for most of their business travel.
3.5.4 Employees Based Outside Kendal (Q20)
58 of the respondents to the questionnaire were based in locations outside of Kendal. Of these people only 21% travelled into Kendal on business purposes on a weekly basis. 41 % rarely or never had to travel to Kendal. Of those who did travel into Kendal the majority (34%) parked at South Lakeland House. 49% were split between six of the other main car parks in Kendal and 12% used alternative modes of transport to travel to Kendal and so did not require parking facilities.
3.5.5 Conclusions — Business Travel and Essential/Casual Car Users
• A major proportion of staff have to undertake business orientated travel on a daily or weekly basis and this unusually involves than using their own private car • Staff business travel varies greatly in distance and frequency, with some staff travelling less than 50 miles a month and others travelling as much as 2000 miles which is the equivalent to 100 miles a day • Relatively few staff who are based outside Kendal, travel to Kendal ona regular basis, but the majority of trips are made by car
3.6 Parking and Car Park Permits
3.6.1 Parking in Kendal (Q9)
Those staff/members who travel to Kendal in their car were asked where in Kendal they parked. 35% parked on public car park such as Blackhall Road and the lower levels of South Lakeland House. A further 33% use the dedicated workspace parking on the top level of South Lakeland House and at Shearman House. The remaining staff parked in the nearby streets (2% paid and 30% free).
3.6.2 Parking Permits (Q1O)
62% of the 252 respondents to this question had a South Lakeland District Council parking permit.
3.6.3 Conclusion — Parking and Car Park Permits
Nearly two thirds of the respondents to the questionnaire had a parking permit, but only a third of respondents when asked where they parked answered with a car park suitable for permit holders
3.7 Working Practices
3.7.1 Working Hours (Q22 & Q23)
Of the 336 respondents 64% worked flexible hours, 25% worked fixed hours and 6% worked shifts. When considering this in relations to start and finish times the 64% who work flexible hours have the opportunity to vary the times at which they travel to and from work. Start times for staff ranged between 6.3Oam and 5pm, but 86% started between 8am and 9am. The finish times have an equally wide range (10.3Oam to 11.45pm) but nearly half (48%) of the staff leave work at 5pm. This results in a peak flow of traffic at one of the busiest time of the day.
3.7.2 Working from Home (Q29)
Only 2% of the respondents stated they could work from home on a full time basis. 16% could work from home most of the time and a further 37% could occasionally work from home. This left 45% of staff who indicated that they could not do any of their work from their home. Of the 165 staff who could work from home most of the time or just occasionally, 105 gave extra information on the number of days a week/month which could be spent working out of the office. From this data it was calculated that from the staff who work in Kendal a total of 893 working days a month could be spent at home working and this would lead to a reduction in car trips in and out of Kendal by 893 each month.
3.7.3 Opportunities for Working at Home (Q30)
When asked how interested they would be in exploring the opportunity of working at home 64% of the 287 respondents were either very or fairly interested. 33% were not interested at all and 10% of staff already did work from their home.
3.7.4 Changing Working Patterns (Q31 & Q32)
Full time members of staff were asked how interested they would be in working their hours either over a four day week or a nine day fortnight. For both options the results were very similar. 61% of respondents to both options were very interested in exploring the opportunity of changing their working pattern. Only 11% of staff were not interested in a four day working week and 12% were not interested in a nine day fortnight. 2% of respondents to both questions had already changed the number of days they worked each week/fortnight.
3.7.5 Conclusions — Working Practices
• Working hours varied greatly amongst saff and Members, with large differences in both start and finish times. This may be due to part-time workers and those who work shifts • Although roughly two thirds of respondents worked flexible hours almost half of respondents left work at 5pm. The fact that most staff start work between 8am and 9am and finish work at 5pm may indicate the potential for car- sharing schemes • Staff were generally interested in working at home, although less thought they would be able to do their work from their home. The high interest in home working could lead to major reductions in the number of car journeys made each week. • Staff were also interested in reducing the number of working days in a week / fortnight. This would again lead to a reduction in the number of journeys made
3.8 Additional Comments
3.8.1 At the end of the questionnaire respondents were given the opportunity to write any additional information or comments, which they thought, would be useful to the survey. The key comments;
• It was felt that flexi time should be made more flexible, with alterations to the core hours and more staff should be able to work flexible hours. • Staff seemed happy to work at home as there would be less disturbance and so more work could be done, but some drawn up concerns about IT facilities and the phone system. • The changes in working patterns were generally welcomed, in terms of four day weeks and nine day fortnights, but some staff were concerned about working at the weekend. • It was suggested that more permit parking spaces should be made available, as the shortage resulted in wasted trips round the town centre and so increasing congestion and pollution. • General staff commented that public transport was expensive, inconvenient and unreliable. Subsidised public transports were mentioned to encourage staff to use the existing resources. • Staff would be happy to cycle or walk to work, if more facilities, such as showers and lockers were available and if route were improved to make them safer. • Staff who use their cars for business travel were like to see more pooi cars, and the option of duel fuel pool cars. • It was generally felt that car sharing schemes and special staff bus services to key areas should be promoted as a way of reducing car trips.
4. ASSESSMENT OF MAIN WORK SITES AND ORGANISATIONAL POLICY
4.1 Appendix C sets out an initial assessment of South Lakeland District Council’s:
• Three main work sites —South Lakeland House, Canal Head/Aynam Mills and South Lakeland Leisure Centre. The Leisure Centre is now under the control of the “arms length” South Lakeland Leisure Trust. • Organisational policies relevant to staff and members in their choice of means of travelling to work and business travel.
This section provides an initial summary of results, drawing out key issues, opportunities and proposals, to be taken into account in drafting measures for a South Lakeland Travel Plan.
4.2 Assessment of Main Work Sites
(please also refer to figures 1 to 5)
4.2.1 South Lakeland House
About 268 are employed at South Lakeland House, including Kendal Town Hall, Tourist Information Centre and Market Place. This represents about 38% of the Council’s work force, making it by far the largest work site. A wide range of types of employment are accommodated, a number requiring to travel during the day as part of their job.
A: General
• South Lakeland House’s central location ensures good access, for those walking, using buses or travelling by car — although there are significant issues concerning car parking and access to trains. • Recent changes to the towns road system and future plans to pedestrianise Stricklandgate between the Town Hall and Library Road need to be taken into account.
B: Bus Services and Park and Ride
• South Lakeland House is within easy walking distance of main bus-stops and the bus-station. Information is available at the Tourist Information Centre and at Reception, but more could be done to make information readily available in a way which encourages changes of habit in travel to work and business travel. • Further analysis will be needed of the Kendal town and inter urban bus services to judge the extent to which services would be better used to meet travel to work and business travel requirements. • Kendal Klipper provides a half-hourly summer service for visitors, linking a number of peripheral sites with the town centre (partly on a Park and Ride basis). It may be worth exploring the development of this concept to provide a year-round shuttle bus.
C: Rail Services
Kendal Railway station is about a half a mile away, and Oxenholme about 2 miles. Travel to work or business travel by rail is limited, presumably because of limited destinations (Windermere Branch line, and Penrith/Lancaster on the main line). Travelling to other parts of South Lakeland can only be achieved by changing on the main line at Carnforth, thus making access difficult from Kendal to other parts of the District. Better availability of information to staff and members would no doubt benefit those for whom rail travel is a realistic option.
D: Pedestrian Access
South Lakeland House is well located for travel to work for those living with a 1-1.5 mile radius of the Town Hall. The majority of footways, yards and other routes (eg: riverside routes) are reasonably pleasant and safe. Suggestions include: • Developing a simple walking strategy which assesses the adequacy of the main pedestrian routes from residential area and from the towns car parks, to identify any particular difficulties. • Promoting walking as a healthy way of getting to work. • Potential improvements in the immediate vicinity of South Lakeland House including:- — Signing of the site for visitors from nearby roads — Improved surfacing and lighting on Angel Yard, New Bank Yard — Addressing potential pedestrian /vehicle conflict at the top level car park exit and Berry’s Yard, and also the car park entrance at Lowther Street.
E: Cycling
On site cycling provision is limited at present; two lockable bike boxes, and 3 Sheffield Stands. A pooi bike occupies one of the bike boxes but it is rarely used. Off site, there are about 6 Sheffield Stands in Market Place/Finkle Street and one at Waterside, serving those visiting the town centre. The Travel Plan process has reinforced the need for improved provision. The conversion of 22-26 Lowther Street will include 10 covered cycle racks, one uni-sex shower facility and locker facility. A covered rack for a further 6-10 bikes is also proposed on the top floor of South Lakeland House car park.
Outstanding issues and opportunities include:- • Lobbying and joint working with Cumbria County Council to improve on-road cycle facilities and off-road routes, particularly along the north south riverside routes. • Ensuring cycle parking provision is fine-tuned to the demands of the various sites in or near South Lakeland House.
F: Motorcycling
There is almost no formal motorcycle parking provision in Kendal or in the vicinity of South Lakeland House, but motorcycles may be parked for free in various corners and spaces of public car parks, not accessible by cars. It may be appropriate to increase formal provision of travel by motorcycle, if it is viewed as an alternative transport mode to be promoted in the Travel Plan
G: Vehicular Access
Vehicle access is restricted to use of South Lakeland House car park, and also deliveries at back of Finkle Street and front of Town Hall. Delivery access, while limited, appears to be satisfactory. Other specific issues include: • Need to review the potential vehicle/pedestrian conflict at the top and middle floor exits of South Lakeland House car park and at the entrance off Lowther Street. • The congestion which occurs as vehicles leave the car park late afternoon. • The need to be aware of impact on deliveries or congestion which might arise from the planned pedestrianisation of Stricklandgate from the Town Hall northwards, and consequent additional traffic flow in Lowther Street. • Providing better, co-ordinated information on access to the site for visitors (by all modes).
H: Car Parking
Appendix D and figure 1 illustrate the number and location of car parks in Kenal and the management arrangements for the top floor of South Lakeland House. Members have reserved parking on the top floor on Council and Committee days. All staff may buy car park tickets or annual permits (like any member of the public - £175) for use on any car-park, but essential and casual car users are entitled to free permits for use in association with work and business travel, but on selected car parks only. Blackhall Road is reserved for SLDC permit holders. Other car parks which may be used include John Boste (in Kirkland) and by the riverside, off Sandes Avenue.
The development of a Travel Plan must also take account of the current/recent review of car parking policy, an important element of which is the management of town centre car parking for visitors and shoppers and the use of peripheral car parks for long-stay parking and permit holders. It is likely that a specific car park strategy will be developed for Kendal. Issues to be addressed arising from the Travel Plan include:
• Reviewing the safety and lighting of car parks used by staff, and the main pedestrian routes to the main work sites. • Reviewing the use of the top floor of South Lakeland House car park in the context of increasing short stay parking for shoppers and visitors in the town centre. • Working with Cumbria County Council to intergrate policy on both off and on-street parking. • Supporting Cumbria County Council in its efforts to create a dedicated Park and Ride facility. • Taking account of the needs of staff or members with disabilities and those required to carry bulky items regularly or occasionally to/from the various offices.
4.2.2 Canal Head Depot and Aynam Mills
About 98 staff are employed at the Canal Head Depot and Aynam Mills. While office and administrative staff operate normal flexi-time, a significant number of manual staff commence around 6 or 7 o’clock and finish around mid-afternoon.
A: General
Several general issues are:- • The Depot is regarded as too small, and some consideration to relocate is underway. • The one-way system adds a significant time delay for service vehicles and other journeys. Congestion occurs at Aynam Road at peak periods.
B: Bus Services
The nearest bus services are the same as for South Lakeland House. Those in the main street require a 10 minute walk, while the Bus Station and other stops in Blackhall Road are about a 5 minute walk away. Issues for consideration are: • The extent to which bus services meet the travel to work or business travel needs of staff, particularly those starting early. • The availability of information and incentives to encourage consideration of the bus travel option.
C: Rail Services
The site’s availability to rail services and associated issues are similar to those at South Lakeland House.
D: Pedestrian Access
Canal Head Depot, and Aynam Mills are slightly less central than South Lakeland House, requiring a 5/10 minute walk to the town centre. Canal Head and Aynam Mills could also benefit from: A simple walking strategy for Kendal (as outlined in the South Lakeland House section above). • An assessment of extent of (and solutions for) pedestrian! vehicle conflict at the Canal Head Depot entrance. • A possible direct pedestrian link (including new footbridge over the river) between Canal Head and New Car Park, as part of the enhancement of the New Road area and redevelopment of Canal Head.
E: Cycling
Canal Head Depot and Aynam Mills are poorly served for cycle parking, with no formal provision to lock bicycles securely or for shower and changing facilities. However the site is well served by one of Kendal’s most popular cyclepaths along the canal bed. Issues and proposals include: Providing secure, sheltered cycle parking, and also locker/changing facilities either on the present site, or as part of any planned relocation. • As for South Lakeland House, lobbying and working jointly with Cumbria County Council, to improve an and off-road cycle network.
F: Motorcycling
There is no formal provision, although 2 or 3 members of staff lock motorcycles to railings next to the offices. As for South Lakeland House, it may be appropriate to increase formal provision (either at the Depot, the nearby informal car park, or as part of any planned relocation) if it is judged that motorcycling is worth promoting as an alternative means of travel to work and business travel.
G: Vehicular Access
The Depot is regarded as too small and is certainly used to capacity by the various service vehicles. Congestion problems occur when vehicles seek to exit on Aynam Road at peak periods, and occasionally when traffic builds up queuing for the Civic Amenity site. Both issues should be addressed as outcomes of the Travel Plan exercise.
H: Car Parking
With no staff parking at Aynam Mills or the Depot, most seek to park on the former tennis court land, owned by Kendal Ski Club. The site tends to be full by 9:00am. The Council is considering leasing the site for use by SLDC permit holders. Issues include:- • Where will Depot and Aynam Mills staff park if the site becomes used predominantly by permit holders. • Whether nearby Canal bed land (in SLDC ownership) could provide short term car parking for SLDC staff, both at the Depot and elsewhere. • Whether the SLDC might use the main Ski Club car park in off peak periods.
4.2.3 Kendal Leisure Centre
Kendal Leisure Centre employs about 63 full and part time permanent staff as well as around 76 casual or seasonal staff. The site is open 07:30 to 11:00pm 7 days a week, and has its own 300 space car park, including about 50 overflow spaces on the canal bed. The site is about 1 mile from the town centre. Kirkbie Kendal School have shared use of Leisure centre facilities.
A: Bus Services
The Leisure Centre is served by a bus stop on Burton Road and the services summarised in Appendix F. With the proviso that the Leisure Centre is less well serviced by bus routes than South Lakeland House, the issues and proposals outlined above apply. In particular the site could be a useful component of a town- wide shuttle bus Park and Ride service.
B: Rail Services
The Leisure Centre is about perhaps 1.5 miles from Kendal railway station, but is more conveniently located to the mainline Oxenholme Railway station, which is about I mile away. The issues are largely the same as for those relating to South Lakeland House and the Canal Head Depot.
C: Pedestrian Access
The Leisure Centre is well served by pedestrian footways and various crossings on the busy A65 Burton Road and also by the Canal bed cycletracklfootpath. These in turn link into a reasonable network of footpaths to surrounding areas, including along the riverside. Similar to the other main sites, the Leisure Centre could benefit from:
• Being part of a simple walking strategy, with a particular link to the “Walking the Way to Health” initiative • Modest on-going improvements to the local footpaths and footways, including a fresh look at any minor pedestrian/vehicle conflicts in or near the site. • Some pedestrian signing of locations and distances to town centre and Oxenholme Railway station might encourage some to walk rather than drive to these destinations.
D: Cycling
The centre is well served with cycle racks (about 40) and proximity to the popular canal-bed cyclepath. Issues and opportunities include:
• Encouraging the District Council to work with Cumbria County Council to enhance the surface of the canal bed cyclepath • Provision for cycling on the River Kent spine route and good destination signing. • The Leisure Centre might also be able to explore cycle hire for recreational and visitor cycling, linked to the development of a safe cycleroute network.
E: Motorcycling
There is no specific provision for motorcyclists, but they are free to use any part of the car park. As on the other sites, there is modest demand by a few members of staff, and the same conclusions apply as for the other sites.
F: Vehicular Access
Despite consistently high (and occasionally heavy) use of the car park next to the busy A6, congestion problems (both on and off site) are limited to major events. There is occasional miss-use of the car park by young car drivers when the centre is closed. There may be some scope to look at any fine- tuning of access/egress on to the A65, including the issue of physical closure of the car park when the centre is shut.
G: Car Parking
The site benefits from 300 space free car parking, of which about 50 is overflow space on the canal bed. Staff are encouraged to park at the rear of the Centre. Car parking is sufficient except for major events, when there is some overflow impact on to the Rinkfield estate. Non centre users of the car park are asked to pay. Potential issues include:-
• Whether the site might form part of a town wide shuttle bus and park and ride service, with potential for the Trust to derive some income as a result. • The loss of 50 “overflow” spaces when the Lancaster Canal is restored to Canal Head, Kendal.
4.3 Organisational Policy
4.3.1 Looking at organisational policy helps in understanding how current policies and practises impact on travel and work patterns, and how modifications to policy and practise might encourage use of alternative modes. Appendices C,D and F reflect information gathered from officers responsible for key work sites and organisational policy. A summary of the results of investigation is set out below, highlighting those issues or opportunities which may be developed into specific Travel Plan measures.
4.3.2 Parking (see also Aprendix D)
The Council’s essential and casual car users are entitled to free car park permits for use in association with business travel on selected car parks. The Council also provides free car parking for members and selected staff on the top floor of South Lakeland House car park. In addition to issues raised above in relation to South Lakeland House, wider issues include:
• The importance of Travel Plan recommendations informing a planned car park strategy for Kendal • The need to reflect location of car parks for use by staff permit holders to reflect emerging policy to give priority to short stay parking for shoppers and visitors in the town centre and more long stay and permit holders to move peripheral locations. • These issues suggest the need for additional long stay/permit holder parking on edge of centre locations, perhaps linked to Park and Ride.
4.3.3 Business Travel
Appendix F provides information and advice to staff on mileage payments etc for business travel. The Council does not offer company cars (and very few lease cars) but does offer car loans. Two pool cars are also available. Staff are advised to travel together to meetings, and to use 2nd class rail where possible (and in all cases outside Cumbria or beyond Preston). Issues and opportunities include:
• Reviewing the number of pool cars • Reviewing the number of essential and casual users, based on actual business travel needs • Exploring potential for video — conferencing to reduce the need to travel. • Further encouragement to share cars to travel • Allowing access to internet sites to book business travel journeys
4.3.4 Alternative Modes of Travel
The Council offers few incentives to encourage alternative travel modes. Some which might be considered include:
• Free or subsidised rail/bus tickets (for business travel), perhaps with additional financial incentive • Clothing and equipment allowance for walkers and cyclists • Joint working with other organisations in Kendal and elsewhere to promote car sharing. • Meeting the cost of a taxi service to local bus and rail stations. • Actively promoting the pool bike • Increasing mileage allowance for those using bikes for business travel (including pool bike)
4.3.5 Flexible Working
Flexi-time is available to all office and administrative staff, albeit with some variations for staff at Canal Head. Most staff at Kendal Leisure Centre are on fixed hours. Many manual staff tend to work on a “task and finish” basis. Fitters at Canal Head can also work a nine day fortnight. Home working takes place, but only on an informal basis. A range of improved work/life balance proposals have been submitted by the Council for consultation with staff and unisons, including:
• Enhanced flexi-time (lOam — 12 and 2pm — 4pm, with daily start/finish extremes extended to 8am and 6:30pm) • Increase from 6.5 to 13 flexi days per annum • Compressed working week (9 day fortnight) • Consideration of a formal policy on home-working; in practice an informal policy operates at the discretion of managers
The Travel Plan exercise should provide information and support for detailed consideration and implementation of these measures.
4.3.6 Recruitment
The Council provides a recruitment package for those relocating to live within South Lakeland. There is not a policy to recruit locally.
4.3.7 Information and Advice
Current information of travel related policy and practise is contained in the (unopened) staff handbook and in (small print) on the back of travel claim forms. Information on other modes of travel is available but not presently in a ready accessible form, or in a way to encourage and promote serious consideration of alternative ways of travelling to work or business travel.
4.3.8 Contractors
Contractors are not required to provide details of environmental policies. The planned Procurement Policy is likely to contain advice and requirements in this respect.
5 OBJECTIVES, MEASURES, TARGETS AND INDICATORS
5.1 The Travel Plan is a dynamic process, a continuous cycle of action — monitoring - review. The purpose of setting objectives, identifying targets and defining indicators is to be able to monitor change.
5.2 This diagram shows the process of setting objectives, targets and indicators and the relationship between them. The first stage involved the production of a set of objectives. The emphasis of each objective is different but the overall aim of the set is to reduce the number of trips made by car. To meet the objectives a package of measures are proposed that can be achieved over the short and long term. The timescale of the measures in the Plan are the three years from 2004 to 2007.
Travel Plan Process
Objectives Indicators “What do we want?” Targets “Are we successful?”
Measures “Making it happen” Review
5.3 Of great importance to the District Council is the need to retain an accessible and desirable town and a primary destination for retail, employment and leisure. To retain a viable Kendal the impact of daily work related travelling needs to be reduced. The Travel Plan must also address safety, access and convenience issues for District Council employees and Members travelling to and from the Kendal offices.
54 OBJECTIVES
The South Lakeland Travel Plan aims to contribute to the following objectives:
• To improve transport choice by improving the quality of alternatives for employees and members by ensuring that alternatives are practical, sensible and realistic choices • To improve the environmental quality and economic viability and vitality of Kendal • To contribute to the reduction in local road congestion by reducing the number of car trips made and making alternatives modes of transport easier to use • To offer benefits to employees and Members in terms of health and well-being and freedom of choice • To improve the operational efficiency of the Council
5.5 THE MEASURES — making it happen!
The combination of measures identified reflects an assortment of incentives (carrots) and disincentives (sticks). Different people will respond to different measures depending on the relevance to the individual and so it has been important to provide a package containing a variety of measures.
Local Authority Commitment
The first two measures are not ‘one-off’ projects but core activities that are essential for the overall success of the Travel Plan. It is important to have both Member and Management Team commitment to the Plan. The Travel Plan co-ordinator will be the main driving force behind the plan. In broad terms they will be responsible for obtaining and maintaining support and commitment, acting as a point of contact and co-ordinating the monitoring programme by undertaking data collection and liaising with different departments.
• Identify Portfolio holder and Director to be responsible for the travel plan • Establish Travel Plan Co-ordinator, responsible for implementation and monitoring of the Travel Plan (in liaison with groups and individuals responsible for particular aspects) • Establish a Kendal Travel Plan Co-ordinator in partnership with other Kendal employers to develop and implement town-wide travel plan measures
Education, Awareness and Promotion
Some of the measures in this section are ongoing such as the promotion of the Travel Plan. Other measures are actions which require setting up only once, and as such do not require targets and indicators to be specified, only a date for implementation.
• Design branding for the Travel Plan (name/logo and style) • Produce regular progress bulletins or monthly ‘In Touch’ bulletins, to maintain interest and report on achievement • Publicise success stories and initiatives that the Council already undertakes eg Playbus. • Establish Travel Plan notice boards at main sites (for staff and customer access) to provide travel information • Establish an intranet Travel Plan site • Link the SLDC website to the Stationmaster journey planner at www.ukbus.u-net.co.uk • Unlock travel information internet sites for SLDC employees • Produce a map showing customersIinterJieWeeS how to reach the District Council by the various modes of transport • Investigate potential of offering personalised travel advice with reference to Durham County Councils pilot scheme, and the Travel Smart Scheme. • Promote walking and cycling by providing information on benefits, facilities and safe routes (with other employers in Kendal) • Arrange special days or events eg car free days, promotions etc Use the local media to promote the Travel Plan • Establish user groups such as maintenance classes or bike buddies • Investigate texting by phone as a way of promoting the Travel Plan
Improved Accessibility to Work Sites and Provision of Work Facilities
Develop proposals to improve accessibility for walkers and cyclists to main work sites and car parks used by staff in Kendal:
• route improvements • lighting and safety • signing
Specific proposals would include:
• Improvements to Angel Yard • John Boste Car Park lighting scheme • Blackhall Road Car Park lighting scheme
Review any vehicle/pedestrian/cyclist safety issues eg
• Exit from Canal Head Depot • Entrance/exit to South Lakeland House Car Park • Exit and entrance to Kendal Leisure Centre
Consider need for shower and changing facilities in enhancement schemes at the main work sites
Provide cycle stands and lockers at work sites across the District at an agreed staff ratio
Provide secure cycle storage at South Lakeland House Car Park
Provide 10 covered cycle racks as part of the Lowther Street improvements
Car Sharing
• Set up SLDC car sharing scheme to match partners for travelling to and from work • Provide a link onto the SLDC website — to Iiftshare.com (pay an annual fee) • Provide taxi service “safety net” to underpin car-sharing scheme, for emergency or unforeseen circumstances • Encourage users to consider door to door taxi service • Consider participation in Kendal-wide car sharing scheme with other Kendal employers • Consider incentives for car sharers:
• Priority car parking • Car park permit incentives • Prize draw incentives
Bus and Train Travel
• To provide bus and route information to staff, members and customers at main work sites • Investigate incentives to encourage bus and train use such as:
• discounted travel cards • loans for discounted travel • bus passes • concessionary fares
• Investigate with others a year round Kendal Klipper service linking Kendals major employers and car parks. • Improve signing to bus and train stations in Kendal and enhance bus stops, working jointly with Cumbria County Council and operators • Liasing with stagecoach over the timings/frequency/adjusting routes • Investigate summarised bus route information in a graphic form jointly with stagecoach and other Kendal Travel Plan partners • Work with Stagecoach and Travel Plan partners to improve availability and choice of bus services for travel to work
Walking and Cycling
• Work in partnership to develop of safe cycle network in Kendal and other towns across district in the context of the forthcoming South Lakeland Cycle Strategy • Consider development of “walking strategy” in partnership with Cumbria County Council • Develop Supplementary Planning Guidance to secure funding through the planning process to implement Kendal’s walking and cycling strategies • Coordinate with the ‘Walking The Way To Health’ initiative and Kendal Leisure Centre • Investigate cycling proficiency for staff
Business Travel
• Investigate potential of technology to reduce the need to travel:
• video conferencing • digital photography • e-government • planning portal
• Assess need for pool cars and provide additional cars if required • Provide £50.00 bike/equipment/clothing allowance for travel for whom walking and cycling is the main mode of business travel • Introduce cycling mileage that equates to the car mileage • Consider reimbursing staff double the cost of public transport for local journeys • Investigate prize draw incentives • Promote and manage pool bike and assess factors that influence demand • Consider a method of coordinating car share opportunities for business travel
Flexible Working Practices
• Meetings to finish at a certain time to facilitate alternatives methods of transport (or allow those affected to leave) • Increase extent and scope of flexible working; including possible 4 day week or 9 day fortnight • Adjust hours of those working part-time to reduce the need to travel • Pool of laptops to encourage home-working • Develop policy for home-working • Provide trolleys for carrying work home
Cars and Car Parking
• Incentives to leave the car at home • Priority car parking for car sharers • Parking provision for canal head depot • Permit incentives for car sharers • Adequate provision for motorcyclists • Reserved spaces for car sharers • Investigate provision of free alternative car parks to replace town parking for SLDC staff and members • Review casual and essential car users allowances and allocation. • Review provision of car parking, cost and location of essential and casual user permits and general parking permits • Work towards joint policy with Cumbria County Council on off street and on street car parking within Kendal and other towns • Park and Ride
5.6 Identifying Targets and Indicators
The proposed targets relate directly back to the objectives and provide a measure of how successful the Travel Plan has been in meeting its objectives. The targets are SMART:
Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Time-bound
Targets can take two forms:
• Action Type Targets — these are non-quantifiable targets that take the form of tasks or measures that need to be achieved, usually on a one-off basis.
• Aim Type Targets — quantifiable targets, usually measuring changing practise over time, and hence requiring regular surveys. Without these it would be impossible to measure the effectiveness of the Travel Plan in meeting its objectives.
The Travel Plan period over which targets will be measured is April 2004 to April 2007. Annual surveys will be needed to determine staff and members changing travel patterns to provide the necessary information. The first survey will be required in April/May 2004 to provide baseline data.
Determining targets:
Starting off with targets that can be readily achieved will not provide the impetus for change that the Travel Plan needs. The targets need to be achievable but also set a challenge. While commuter plans in the US can reduce staff car trips to individual sites by 30—40%, reductions of 15—20% are more typical of what most successful schemes have achieved. The estimates below are based on the 2002 questionnaire results, looking at current travel patterns and assessing the potential for change. An overall target of reducing single- occupancy car trips to work by 11% is proposed.
Car Sharing
Car sharing is currently used by 10% in travelling to work. 44% of 179 respondents indicated they would use car sharing as an alternative daily or 1- 2 days a week if various measures were put in place. The measures suggested included help in finding car share partners, reduced cost or reserved car parking and taxi “safety net” if let down by car sharer. A target of increasing car sharing from 10% to 12% is therefore considered realistic.
Cycling
Cycling is used by only 2.5% in travelling to work. 64% indicated there are measures that would encourage them to cycle. 27% live within I mile of work and a further 26% live between I and 5 miles of work. Additional cycle racks, lockers and some changing facilities are possible in the short term but significant improvements in cycle networks are likely to take longer. A target of increasing cycling to work to 6% is therefore considered realistic
Walking
24% of respondents already walk to work, very significantly above the local and regional average. 28% of respondents indicated they would consider walking to work if various improvements were made. Given the existing high level of people already walking to work, a target to increase this to 25% is considered reasonable.
Public Transport
Those travelling to work by bus or train are low, at around 3%, and less than 1% respectively. 51% of respondants said they would consider using buses if various improvements were made, but only 17% took a similar view regarding trains. A worthwhile increase in travel by train seems unlikely A target of increasing those travelling by bus from 3% to 7% seems reasonable
Business Travel
Use of single occupancy car travel for business purposes is very high at 77%, and use of all other means correspondingly low. In the absense of information about what measures would encourage staff and members to use methods other than the car it is proposed that the effectiveness of the measures as a whole are assessed according to the following targets to 2007:
• A 5% increase in cycle mileage • A 5% increase in public transport cost claims • A 5 % decrease in car mileage • A 10% increase in journeys by pool car
Other
Other targets proposed for 2007 are: • A 3% take up in home-working • A 20% take up of individualised travel advice
Target Indicator
Action — Type Targets Publish Travel Plan Publish plan by I May 2004 Launch Travel Plan Launch Travel Plan by 1 June 2004 Establish SLDC Travel Plan Co-ordinator Co-ordinator identified by April 2004 Publish regular Travel Plan bulletins Travel Plan Bulletin published twice yearly
Aim — Type Targets Travel To Work To reduce the number of staff travelling Number of single occupancy car journey by single occupancy car journeys from 55%to44% by2007 To increase car sharing from 10% to Number car sharing 12% by 2007 To increase cycling from 2.65% to 6% by Number of cyclists 2007 To increase walking from 24% to 25% by Number of pedestrians 2007 To increase those using buses from 3% Number using buses to 7% by 2007 Business Travel A 5% increase in cycle or public transport Level of cycle mileage claims mileage and 5% decrease in car mileage by Level of public transport mileage claims 2007 10% increase in journeys by pool car by Number of pool car journeys 2007 Other 3% home-working by 2007 Number of home-working days 20% take up of individualised travel Number of individuals that have assessed advice by 2007 the way they travel
6. IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING and REVIEW
Implementation
6.1 Implementing the Travel Plan is an on-going process, rather than a fixed plan introduced at one point in time. The most important measure to implement is assigning an on site Travel Plan Coordinator. The SLDC Coordinator will be responsible for coordinating the activities within the council and for progressing schemes such as raising awareness. The Travel Plan will not implement itself without this vital coordinating role. It is also desirable to have a Kendal-wide travel plan coordinator which can be financed by ………………………………
6.2 The implementation of the measures is front-loaded so that both carrots and sticks are provided at the same time. To achieve a modal shift in cycling, for example, awareness raising will not be effective if cycle lockers aren’t made available at the same time.
6.3 The table below provides a list of measures against which a target date for the completion of each measure is set out. It is expected that the plan will have a three year lifespan and it is hoped that the first operational year of the Travel Plan would be 2004/5. Some measures will have ongoing recorded against them whereas others will have a specific target date for implementation. Responsibility for implementing each measure is set out against each measure along with a comment relating to cost and time. The Implementation of the Travel Plan will be the responsibility of various groups within South Lakeland District Council, some measures will require partnership with external organisations. At this draft stage the detailed financial costing of specific projects and proposals has not been provided. Following the consultation stage when the measures will be firmed up the financial costs will be expanded on.
IMPLEMENTATION OF MEASURES
Measures Target Responsibility Cost / Time Dates
Local Authority Commitment Establish SLDC By April Management Team and £1000 per annum (part Travel Plan 2004 Policy Group time for 3 years 2004/7) coordinator Establish Kendal- By April Management Team and Financial input annually to wide Travel Plan 2005 Policy Group via Kendal part fund post (£5,000 per coordinator in Travel Plan Steering annum recommended) partnership Group
Education, Awareness and Promotion Design Travel Plan Year I Policy Group Branding (Communications Officer) Travel Plan Progress Ongoing Policy Group (Travel Plan Staff Time Bulletins Co-ordinator and Communications Officer) Publicise success Ongoing Policy Group (Travel Plan stories and initiatives Co-ordinator and Communications Officer) Establish reception Year 1 Policy Group (Travel Plan Possibly better use of notice boards Co-ordinator) existing boards as financing additional boards Establish SLDC Year I l.T Group Staff Time Intranet site Link SLDC website Year 1 l.T Group Staff Time to Stationmaster Unlock travel info Year 1 l.T Group Staff Time internet sites Produce a map Year 1 Policy Group (Travel Plan Staff Time showing the location Co-ordinator) of the district council for customers Investigate Year 2 Policy Group — advice Staff Time personalised travel required from Alan James advice Promote walking and Year 2 Policy Group (Travel Plan Cost of leaflet production cycling Co-ordinator) Arrange special days Ongoing Policy Group (Travel Plan Cost of staff involvement Co-ordinator) with financial incentives Policy Group (Travel Plan Cost of staff involvement Lakeland Radio slots Ongoing Co-ordinator & with financial incentives Communications Officer) Establish User Policy Group (Travel Plan Cost of staff involvement Year 1 groups Co-ordinator) with financial incentives Investigate texting by Policy Group (Travel Plan Cost of staff involvement Year 2 phone Co-ordinator) with financial incentives Measures Target Responsibility Cost / Time Dates
Improved Accessibility to Work Sites and Provision of Work Facilities Develop proposals to improve accessibility Staff time. Money to Ongoing Property Services for walkers and implement schemes cyclists to work sites Review vehicle / Staff time. Money to pedestrian / cyclist Year 2 Property Services implement schemes. safety issues Consider need for shower and changing Property Services (and Money to implement Ongoing facilities at main work Design Group) schemes sites Provide cycle stands Property Services and Staff time. Money to and lockers at work Year 1 Policy Group implement schemes sites Provide secure cycle Staff time. Money to storage at S L House Year 2 Car Parks Group implement schemes car park Provide 10 covered Year 1 cycle racks at Property Services and (underw Staff time. Already funded Lowther Street Design Group ay)
Car Sharing Set up SLDC car Business Support Year 1/2 Staff time sharing scheme Managers Link SLDC website Year 1 IT Group Staff time to liftshare.com Human Resources and Provide taxi service Business Support Staff time ‘safety net’ Managers Consider participation in Business Support Year 2/3 Staff time. Kendal-wide car Managers sharing scheme Consider incentives Staff time. Money to Year 1/2 Human Resources for car sharers implement schemes
Bus and Train Travel Provide bus and train Policy Group (Travel Plan Year I Staff time information Co-ordinator and IT Group) Investigate incentives to Staff time. Money to Year 2 Human Resources encourage bus and implement schemes train use Investigate Kendal Economy and Staff time. Funding for Klipper service all Year 2 /3 Development Group joint schemes year Measures Target Responsibility Cost / Time Dates Improve signing to Economy and Staff time. Fund jointly Year 2 bus and train stations Development Group with Kendal employers Policy Group (Travel Plan Liaise over Co-ordinator with timings/frequency Year 2 /3 Staff time Kendal Travel Plan routes of buses Steering Group) Policy Group (Travel Plan Investigate Co-ordinator with Staff time. Production of summarised bus Year 2 Kendal Travel Plan information information Steering Group) Policy Group (Travel Plan Liaise with partners Co-ordinator with to improve Ongoing Kendal Travel Plan availability of buses Steering Group)
Walking and Cycling Planning Services Partnership (Projects & Initiatives Staff time. Money to development of safe Ongoing Officer with Kendal Travel implement schemes. cycle network Plan Steering Group) Planning Services Consider (Projects & Initiatives Staff time. Money to development of Officer with Kendal Travel implement schemes walking strategy Plan Steering Group) Develop SPG to implement walking Staff time. Production Year 2 /3 Planning Services and cycling costs strategies Coordinate with Policy Group (Travel Plan ‘Walking the Way to Year 2 Staff time Co-ordinator) Health’ Investigate cycling Human Resources (with Year I Staff time proficiency for staff Police)
Business Travel Investigate the Staff time. Money to potential of Year I I.T.Group implement schemes. technology Assess demand for Business Support Staff time. Money to Year 1 pool cars Managers implement schemes Provide allowance Year 1 / Staff time. Money to walking and cycling Human Resources 2 implement schemes business travel Introduce cycling Year 1 / Human Resources mileage 2 Consider reimbursing Year 1 / staff for public Human Resources 2 transport travel Measures Target Responsibility Cost / Time Dates Investigate prize Policy Group (Travel Plan Staff time. Financial Year 1 draw incentives Co-ordinator) incentives Promote and Year 1 / Business Support Staff time manage pool bikes 2 Managers Coordinate car share Year 2 / Business Support opportunities for Staff time 3 Managers business travel
Flexible Working Practices Meeting to finish at Year 2 Human Resources certain times 4 day week or 9 day Year 2 Human Resources fortnight Adjust hours of those working part-time to Year 2 Human Resources reduce the need to travel Pool of laptops to Human Resources and IT Money to implement s encourage Year 1 Group chemes homeworking Provide trolleys for Money to implement Year 1 Human Resources carrying work home schemes
Cars and Car Parking Review use of car Business Support Manager parks used by SLDC Year 1 / (S&P) and Car Parks Staff time staff SL House top 2 Manager floor Provision of free Year 2 Car Parks Group Staff time alternative car parks Review casual and Staff time. Financial essential car users Year 1 / Human Resources implications of car use allowances and 2 review allocation Review provision, cost and location of Staff time. Financial essential and casual Year 1 / Human Resources implications of car use user permits and 2 review. general parking permits Work towards a joint Assistant Director policy with CCC on Year 2 / Development Staff time off street and on 3 (with Car Parks Group and street parking Planning Services) Business Support Priority car parking Year 1 / Staff time. Financial Managers with Car Parks for car sharers 2 implications of scheme Group Permit incentives for Year 1 / Human Resources with Staff time. Financial car sharers 2 Car Parks Group implications of scheme Measures Target Responsibility Cost / Time Dates Year 2 / Park and Ride Cumbria County Council Staff time 3 Incentives to leave Year 1 / Staff time. Financial Human Resources the car at home 2 implication of incentives. Parking provision for Year 1 / Staff time. Cost of Car Parks Group canal head depot 2 possible solution. Adequate provision Year 1 Car Parks Group Staff time for motorcyclists
Monitoring and Review
6.4 Monitoring is an important feedback mechanism to make sure that the objectives are being met and that the measures are effective. The District Council proposes a two-tier approach to the monitoring. The core monitoring, which is set out in the following table, identifies essential monitoring to underpin long-term trends in transport use for both travel to work and from work and business travel.
6.5 In addition to the core monitoring plan there is a need to track the progress of the action targets, which had specific implementation. The implementation table assigns each measure with an implementation date that needs to be monitored. The Travel Plan coordinator will be responsible for the monitoring of the additional targets.
6.6 As a method of deciding how, when and who will be responsible for the travel plan monitoring, the core monitoring plan has been compiled. The monitoring plan will help to identify priorities and provide an important tool for the Councils scrutiny committees. The responsibility for coordinating the monitoring programme is the travel plan coordinator, although the responsibility for providing specific travel plan information will fall to different groups within the district council. The Travel Plan will be monitored on an annual basis and it is expected that the first monitoring report will be published in 2005 following the completion of the first year.
Monitoring Plan — Core Monitoring
Who is What How When Responsible Every 3 years Travel Plan Full staff and Survey using full to enable the coordinator and member survey questionnaire roll- forward of working group the travel plan. Survey of staff/members to Travel Plan Snapshot Survey Annually from identify travel to/from work coordinator and (modal shift) Spring 2004 transport modes working group Count the number of Cycle/motorcycle One day per Travel plan cycles/motorcycles parked at use month coordinator the main council offices Recording the number of Employees employee days worked from Annually Line Managers working from home home Business Travel - Number of miles driven by Finance/Human Annually car use staff and Members Resources Amount of mileage registered in pool car log book Business Travel - Demand for poll car(s) e.g. Annually CATS pool car use number of requests for use of car(s) and number turned down Amount of rail expenses paid Business Travel - Finance/Human to employees Annually Rail use Resources Number of miles travelled Amount of bus expenses Business Travel - Finance/Human paid to employees Annually Bus use Resources Number of miles travelled Amount of cycle mileage Business Travel - paid to employees Finance/Human Annually Cycle use Demand for the use of the Resources pool bikes