Accountant in Bankruptcy Travel Plan 2013 - 2015 Contents
1. Introduction______3
2. About AiB______3 2.1 Demographics______3
3. Organisation Assessment______3
4. Benefits of a Travel Plan______4 4.1 Organisation______4 4.2 Staff______4 4.3 Community______4 4.4 Environment______5
5. Objectives and targets and monitoring______5 5.1 Objectives______5 5.2 Targets______5
6. Current Methods of Transport______5
7. Alternative Methods of Travel______6 7.1 Public Bus and Train Service______6 7.2 Cycling and Walking______6
8. Current Business Travel Arrangements______7
8.1 Travel Considerations______7
9. Measures To Encourage Sustainable Travel______7
9.1 Video Conferencing______7 9.2 Carbon Emission Levy______8 9.3 Car Parking______8 9.4 Car share scheme______8 9.5 Advances of salary for buying season tickets______8 9.6 Facilities for staff that walk or cycle to work______8
Annex A - Location of AiB______10
Annex B – Car Parking______11
Annex C 2012 Staff Travel Survey Response______12
1. Introduction 2 This travel plan details the way in which the Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) aims to reduce its carbon emissions from staff travel and encourage more sustainable travel choices.
By making a few changes to the way we travel and more importantly, by relying less on our cars, we can make a big difference to our own health and local environment.
Our Aims
The aims of our Travel Plan are to:
Reduce our Carbon Footprint; Produce environmental improvements; Reduce local congestion and parking in residential areas; Promote a healthier workforce.
We will work to achieve these aims by encouraging and promoting alternative travel methods such as car sharing; safer cycling; walking to work and the use of public transport. The plan also aims to promote a wider range of travel methods for staff and visitors alike.
2. About AiB
The Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) is an Agency of the Scottish Government. AiB relocated to its permanent residence at Pennyburn Road, Kilwinning, North Ayrshire in February 2006. 150 staff are employed by AiB (as at 31 March 2015).
A detailed map of the location of AiB can be found at Annex_A.
AiB is responsible for administering the process of personal bankruptcy, administering the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) and recording corporate insolvencies in Scotland. The Agency also has responsibility for policy issues regarding bankruptcy, corporate insolvency and the Scottish law of diligence. Further information on the Agency can be found on our website: www.aib.gov.uk. AiB operates independently and impartially whilst remaining directly accountable to the Scottish Ministers. The Chief Executive is also The Accountant in Bankruptcy and is appointed under the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985 (as amended).
2.1 Demographics
The majority of AiB staff travel from the surrounding area to and from work. Only a small percentage travel from further afield than Ayrshire. The AiB office in Kilwinning is served by good public transport facilities, however a high number of staff still travel to work as a single car user. This can be attributed to many people living in more rural towns and villages throughout Ayrshire with poorer public transport links.
3. Organisation Assessment
The main area of concern is the number of cars parked on the street due to overspill from the staff car park. Subsequently, there have been complaints from residents about staff and visitors parking in residential areas, making access for residents difficult. Concerns have also been raised by staff over safety issues of parking their cars on the side of a main road. There are visual difficulties for drivers associated with this; drivers exiting the car park are not able to get a clear view of the road and traffic.
3 There is a car sharing scheme in place. A total of 2 spaces have been allocated so far, however we are currently working to improve this uptake by promoting and advertising the facilities and their benefits. A cycle shelter has been installed for the safe storage of bikes.
AiB is ideally located for Kilwinning train station. Kilwinning station is situated on the central train line linking Ayrshire with Glasgow with regular 15 min services to and from Kilwinning. AiB is also close to the main bus route and is served by an express coach service, linking Ayrshire and Glasgow.
AiB operates a Flexible Working Hours system and encourages Flexible Working Patterns as a demonstration of their commitment to helping staff achieve a satisfactory work/home life balance; bringing benefits to both staff and employers. This allows staff to avoid rush hour traffic, therefore reducing congestion, stress and travel costs. It also benefits the Agency to retain skilled, satisfied staff and decreases absenteeism.
4. Benefits of a Travel Plan
Many benefits may be experienced by the creation and implementation of a Travel Plan; not only for the organisation but also its staff, the surrounding community and the environment. We are committed to reducing the damaging effect we have on the environment and are confident that this travel plan will help us to do so. These potential benefits are summarised below:
4.1 Organisation
Reduced site accessibility problems for staff, visitors and deliveries Improved health/fitness of staff leading to greater productivity, motivation Reduced demand for car parking spaces Reduced business travel costs Improvement in our environmental image Contribution to our corporate social responsibility agenda
4.2 Staff
Improved health and fitness Potentially less stressful journeys to/from work if using public transport Increased awareness of environmental issues Increased travel choices Potential for reduced travelling costs Increased social interaction benefiting mental health
4.3 Community
Reduced overspill/on-street parking - dangerous to pedestrians and other drivers Reduced parking in residential areas Reduced traffic congestion in surrounding area Improved safety for residents and children walking to local schools Safer, quieter streets
4 4.4 Environment
By using alternative travel methods to/from work other than single car use, less pollution and carbon dioxide emissions will be produced, reducing the harmful effect we have on the environment Less cars on the road therefore less congestion and petrol emissions Reduced dirt and noise leading to a happier local community
5. Objectives and targets and monitoring
5.1 Objectives
By implementing this travel plan we hope to achieve the following objectives:
1. Promote use of alternative/sustainable travel methods. 2. Reduce single car use and increase amount of car sharing. 3. Reduce the impact that AiB has on the environment 4. Reduce business travel including business miles claims
5.2 Targets
The 2014 travel survey will be used as a future template and to identify any other issues for which achievable targets may be set. General SG travel targets will also be referred.
To promote the use of alternative/sustainable travel methods for business and commuting To reduce single car use and increase amount of car sharing To increase the use of the conferencing equipment To promote the SG car share scheme and travel passes
5.3 Monitoring
Monitor the number of bus and train tickets used for business travel Promote and monitor the use of the video conference facilities Promote and monitor the car sharing scheme Carry out an annual travel survey
6. Current Methods of Transport A short travel survey was available to complete online through Survey Monkey from 15 December 2014 with a completion date of 9 January 2015. The details of the full survey can be found at Annex C. There were 152 members of staff at the end of 2014. This included members of staff who were off ill, on maternity leave or on secondment. All members of staff were asked to complete the survey including permanent, casual and contracted staff. 77 staff members completed the survey giving a response rate of 51%.
5 Information on the methods of transport used by AiB staff is shown in the following chart:
7. Alternative Methods of Travel
Of those who responded to the survey that travelled by car the percentage of single occupancy car journeys to site were 78%. This showed no change from the previous survey in 2012. There are only 2 car sharer spaces allocated which has not increased since the 2007 survey. It should be noted that the survey methodology has varied between years and as such the percentage changes are purely an indication of activity. The 2014 travel survey template will be utilised for all future surveys in order to bring the ability for direct comparison and measurable targets.
7.1 Public Bus and Train Service
Fourteen per cent of staff used rail as their primary mode of transport. Previous survey results were 12% in 2007 and 28% in 2012. It is possible that the expensive travel costs during peak hours, overcrowding and rigidity of keeping to timetables is a factor which discourages staff from using public transport.
There are interest free loans available to staff through the Scottish Government to purchase annual season tickets .
7.2 Cycling and Walking
Only 1% of survey respondents indicated that they cycled to work and 11% of staff walk to work. The AiB Healthy Working Lives committee promotes walking and cycling to work as the benefits are tremendous. As well as the physical gains it is also beneficial to the environment and surrounding community. It is suitable for most people of various ages and fitness.
The Scottish Government also offers a Cycle to Work scheme where employees can buy a bike for use on their commute to work. This scheme allows employees to make tax savings on the purchase of a new bike and the option of repaying the costs direct from salary by instalments across 12 months. Cycle to Work can be accessed by SG twice a year and information on this can be found on the intranet.
6 8. Current Business Travel Arrangements
Reassessing how business travel is managed can generate considerable environmental and financial rewards
As an Agency of the Scottish Government we follow their view that staff have a responsibility to travel using sustainable methods especially for business purposes. Due to the location of the AiB office it has become necessary for more staff to commute long distances and also to travel to Glasgow/Edinburgh for training sessions. AiB has some desk resource in the main Scottish Government Atlantic Quay office (6F) in Glasgow
Tickets for business travel can be pre-ordered through CAPITA travel and Events and staff are encouraged to choose the most cost effective and environmentally sound method. Costs are saved through utilisation of the online booking tool for which several AiB staff are authorised users.
When planning journeys is important to determine whether the trip is necessary. Staff training and development is essential so in most cases the answer to this is yes. However, with the increasing amount of training being offered at Kilwinning it is hoped that the number of business trips will decrease.
8.1 Travel Considerations
When travelling for business purposes all employees are asked to consider the various methods available to them. It is then expected that they choose the most cost effective and environmentally sound method available to them.
Where a:
Short business trip is required then it is normally expected that staff will walk, cycle or use public transport. If a taxi is required then staff are expected to share one taxi. Medium business trip i.e. to Edinburgh, is required then staff have the option of using public transport or opting for a hire car. If staff are travelling by car they should car-share with staff travelling to the same destination. Long distance business trip i.e. to London for example, is required it is expected that staff use public transport such as (the more environmentally sound) sleeper train rather than flying, where it is feasible to do so.
9. Measures To Encourage Sustainable Travel
AiB have already implemented several measures to encourage sustainable travel such as:
9.1 Video Conferencing
AiB have Video Conferencing facilities to enable staff to take part in business meetings occurring outside the office. These were implemented to allow staff to communicate with colleagues in other SG offices. When these facilities are used effectively they can greatly reduce the need for business travel.
7 9.2 Carbon Emission Levy
The Agency has joined the Scottish Government Carbon Emissions Scheme. When a hire car is booked through Arnold Clark a mandatory £1.00 levy is charged. Arnold Clark collects the £1.00 contributions and then returns them to the Scottish Government for donation to an environmental cause.
9.3 Car Parking
The Agency has introduced a car parking policy which offers preferential parking to those who car share. To be a car sharer you must share with at least one other person who also drives to the workplace. The aim of the policy is to reduce the number of staff who travel to work as a single car occupant.
9.4 Car share scheme
A list of current car sharers is kept by the Facilities Management team. . Car parking spaces are assigned to each car sharing party. The remainder of the car park spaces are allocated on a first come first served basis.
Full details of the policy can be found in.Annex_B.
9.5 Advances of salary for buying season tickets
Information on interest-free advances of salary available to staff who wish to purchase annual travel season tickets has been publicised to all staff.
9.6 Facilities for staff that walk or cycle to work
The Agency actively encourages staff to walk or cycle to work as this has considerable benefits to both health and the environment. The office is equipped with a cycle shelter, shower facilities and lockers for cyclists exclusive use.
A Healthy Working Lives (HWL) group promote health and exercise within AiB. They regularly promote alternative travel methods and their benefits.
10. Monitoring, Evaluation and Communication
The Organisational Development and Communications team will retain overall responsibility for the monitoring and evaluation of the Travel Plan. This will be achieved by analysing the results of our Annual Travel Survey - collating the statistical information, identifying trends and comparing the figures with those the previous years.
For the Travel Plan and its strategies to be effective, it is paramount that they are communicated to all staff. For maximum effect and ensure accessibility this shall be delivered using a number of methods:
Staff Awareness Exercises Through the AiB Client Committee On the AiB Intranet Site
8 10.1 Review
We will carry out annual staff surveys and update the Travel Plan with the information presented. The surveys will be conducted in December each year and results collated and published during January. This will allow us to review our progress towards our targets and also allow us to add new actions and targets as they are presented and to remove those that have now been completed.
Details of the 2014-15 Survey can be found in Annex_C.
Marion Hughes Business Support Officer Last reviewed 10 December 2014 Next review September 2015 Reference: A5350532 9 Annex A - Location of AiB
10 Annex B – Car Parking
Parking Available
There are 44 spaces in the office car park plus an additional 10 in the area to the rear of the car park next to the kitchen area. There are 2 disabled parking bays and the remaining 52 are divided into operational requirements spaces, reserved car sharer spaces and spaces available to all.
Operational Requirements
There are 3 spaces reserved for operational requirements. These are located at the right hand side of the rear entrance to the building (spaces 15-17). These spaces are available for:
Visitors to the building Edinburgh based staff Hire cars (e.g. for home visits)
Staff whose permanent base is Kilwinning are not permitted to use these spaces for general parking.
These spaces can be booked through contacting Facilities Management where you shall be told of the space number allocated to you.
Car Sharing
A guaranteed car parking space is awarded only to those whose journey to work will save on another single occupancy car journey to the office. The guidelines for car sharing are summarised below:
A guaranteed car park space will only be awarded when two or more members of staff who both travel to the office by car agree to travel together. This must be your method of transport on an ongoing basis. Car sharers will be allocated with a numbered space in the car park. Only one car park space will be awarded per car sharing agreement. i.e. if staff member A. and staff member B. agree to travel together they will be awarded the same car parking space. You must provide your name and car registration number to Facilities Management. Car sharers meeting these requirements will be guaranteed a space. Allocation will be on application to Facilities Management. All staff are advised of which numbered spaces have been allocated for car share agreements and are not therefore available for other use.
11 Annex C
AIB TRAVEL SURVEY 2014-15 RESPONSE REPORT
11. INTRODUCTION
In order to ensure that the objectives, targets and planned actions within the AiB Travel Plan are realistic, achievable and in line with current conditions, a staff travel survey was carried out from December 2014 through to 9 January 2015. The travel survey enables us to examine current travel patterns and plays an important role in providing us with the knowledge required to develop green travel initiatives.
The Scottish Government has an ambitious target of reducing CO2 emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 compared to 2009/10. Business travel accounts for 10 per cent of the SG carbon footprint and 43 per cent of the footprint by spend. The Agency is also committed to reducing the harmful environmental impact of its activities and this is reflected in our Environmental Policy Statement AiB Travel Plan .
To this end, this travel survey has questioned staff on their business travel habits, an area that previous AiB travel surveys had not explored.
11.1 Aims of the Travel Survey
To gain a better understanding of staff travel patterns To inform any required updates to the Staff Travel Plan To provide ideas on how to improve existing travel initiatives and promote the use of alternative/sustainable travel methods
11.2 Key Findings
Sixty-nine per cent of respondents live within 10 miles of the office Fifty per cent of staff travelled to work by car as a single occupant Time saving was the highest figure given for the reason for driving to work The majority of staff conducting external business use the train to reach their destination Facilities such as video/tele conferencing are not widely utilised
11.3 Response Rate
The response rate for the survey was 50.6 per cent or 77 staff members. As of 30 December 2014 there were 152 employees at AiB, inclusive of all permanent and contingent staff. All staff were invited to complete the survey.
12 11.4 About AiB
AiB is located adjacent to Kilwinning train station with regular connections to Glasgow and other destinations. The office is also local to a number of bus routes. Secure car parking is available at AiB for up to 54 vehicles, including 2 disabled spaces, 3 for operational requirements and 2 for present car sharers.
12. PERSONAL TRAVEL
12.1 Demographics – 75 responses
Of the respondents who answered the question regarding their home location, 62.4 per cent (48 respondents) live in the North Ayrshire postcode. Over 65% of respondents live within 10 miles of AiB. Charts 1 and 2 show where staff travel from by local authority and by distance.
Chart 1: Home Location
Chart 2: Distance to AiB (miles)
13 12.2 Travel Pattern – 77 responses
Staff were asked to choose all modes of transport that applied to their daily commute. The most common method of travel used by respondents was the car with 76.6 per cent. The train was used by 24.7 per cent of respondents and 14.3 per cent used the bus. Twenty-two per cent of respondents walked for some part of their daily commute.
Table 1: All modes of transport
What modes of transport do you use for your daily journey to work? (multiple answers)
Response Answer Options Response Count Per cent Car 76.6% 59 Train 24.7% 19 Bus 14.3% 11 Walking 22.1% 17 Bicycle 5.2% 4 answered question 77
Whilst all modes of transport were asked for and some staff use a combination of modes, the survey focusses on the main transport method used for each daily commute. When asked the primary mode of transport, the car was again the highest with a response rate of 65 per cent. This compares to 77 per cent in the previous survey in 2012. Of 12 respondents who live within walking distance1 of the office, 8 of them walked to work. Chart 3 shows the breakdown for primary mode.
Chart 3: Primary mode of transport
12.3 Car usage – 50 responses
1 Walking distance has been defined as living within 1 mile of the office and using local roads and footpaths 14 Seventy-eight per cent of car users travelled as a single occupant. The 2007 and 2012 travel surveys also showed this method of travel as the most prolific. The number of car users travelling with other passengers (eg school run) has not varied since 2012.
No respondents stated they used the car share scheme but at the time of writing this report there are 4 members of staff using the car share scheme with 2 cars used. In 2012 there were 3 members of staff using car share. One of the objectives of the travel plan is to reduce single car use and increase the amount of car sharing and although this has partially been achieved, the hope would be to increase usage further.
Table 2: Car usage
Which best describes your normal car usage
Answer Options Response Count
Single occupant 39 As a passenger 3 As a driver with others 8 Car share scheme 0 Other 0
The main reason given for driving to work was time saving followed closely with convenience. See Chart 4 below where staff were asked for all reasons for choosing to drive to work. Forty per cent of car users (20 respondents) state to have caring responsibilities and choose to drive to work for this reason.
Chart 4: Reasons for driving
13. BUSINESS TRAVEL
Included in the survey were questions on Business Travel with 60 per cent travelling to other SG buildings for business purposes. The majority of those travelling to SG buildings travelled to the main SG buildings at Atlantic Quay, Saughton House and Victoria Quay. See table below for full results.
Chart 5: Travel to other SG Buildings 15 Only 2 respondents travelled once a week, 9 respondents 2-3 times a month, 6 respondents about once a month, and 29 travelling only occasionally. The train was most used for travelling to other SG buildings with 93.5 per cent using this method. This is a very positive outcome and fits well with the environmental policy. The main reasons for travelling to other SG buildings were for meetings or training as shown in Cart 6 below:
Chart 6: Reasons for travel to other SG buildings – 27 responses
When asked whether or not they travelled to other stakeholder offices for business purposes, 35 per cent of respondents answered yes with 22 per cent of those travelling once a month. Travelling to external stakeholders was mainly for meetings with 89 per cent of the respondents who answered ‘yes’ giving this reason for travelling. The main stakeholder offices visited were Insolvency Practitioners with 74 per cent. Of the 22 per cent who stated ‘other’ no reasons were given. See Chart 7 for full results:
Chart 7: Reasons for travel to external stakeholders (non-SG)
16 Table 3 below shows the preferred method of travel to external stakeholders was by train with 92.6 per cent travelling this way. Rented/pool car was the second most used with 22.2 per cent. Only one respondent used their own car.
Table 3: Mode of travel to external stakeholders
How do you normally travel to external stakeholders? (multiple answers)
Response Answer Options Response Count Per cent Train 92.6% 25 Bus 7.4% 2 Own car 3.7% 1 Rented/pool car 22.2% 6 Taxi 0.0% 0 Walking/Cycling 3.7% 1 Air travel 3.7% 1 Other (please specify) 0.0% 0
13.1 Video Conferencing – 75 responses
Thirty-one per cent of respondents stated to have used video or tele-conferencing facilities. Of those who responded ‘yes’, 20 used it occasionally and 3 about once a month. The reason given by the respondents for not using video or tele-conferencing were 84 per cent ‘not required’ and 16 per cent ‘not available’. There are video conferencing facilities in Conference Room One. There is presently no data collected on the use of AiB’s video conferencing facilities.
13.2 SG Schemes
Staff were asked if they knew of the various schemes run by the SG to help achieve the carbon reduction target. The majority of staff knew about some of the schemes with only 2 respondents stating they knew about none of the schemes. When asked if they used any of
17 the schemes only 2 respondents used the salary advance to purchase travel season tickets and 6 used hot desk facilities.
Chart 8: SG Schemes
14. RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff to be encouraged to use the video/tele conferencing facilities where possible to reduce the requirement to travel. An article should be published or an awareness training session held on how to use the systems. See links:
http://intranet/InExec/AboutUs/Directorates/HARintro/places/offices/vc/introduction
http://intranet/InExec/AboutUs/Directorates/HARintro/places/offices/teleconferencing/intr o
Information published on hot desk facilities in other SG buildings. See link:
http://intranet/InExec/AboutUs/Directorates/HARintro/places/offices/Hot-Desk-facilities
As one of the main reasons for travelling to SG Buildings was for training an increase in training opportunities in-house would reduce travelling.
Publicising the various schemes run by the SG to help reduce carbon footprint:
http://intranet/InExec/HR/PoliciesandGuidance/EmploymentPackage/YourBenefits/Seas onTicket
http://intranet/InExec/News/Releases/2015/02/24141708
14.1 Conclusion
The majority of AiB staff live relatively close to the office but still prefer to travel to work as a single car user. The main reasons given for driving to work were time saving and convenience. There are few incentives which could be offered to staff to change their method of travel to work. For those choosing cost as a reason to drive, highlighting various schemes on the intranet such as the salary advance to purchase travel season tickets scheme may be useful. 18 By contrast, over 90 per cent of staff conducting business travel use rail as their main mode of transport. There are several reasons that this can be expected:
Rail tickets are prepaid and discounts for bulk travel
Connecting bus transport is prepaid
Car usage requires online training and business justification for car rental
Personal car usage requires relevant insurance policies Changes to method of conducting external business could be considered to help reduce our carbon footprint. Staff should be encouraged to utilise conferencing tools where appropriate. In line with this, forthcoming changes in the way that learning and development is funded means that staff PLPs must show training needs. This may allow for more bespoke in-house training to be undertaken and reduce the need for travel to other SG buildings. Other points of note were that only 6 respondents stated to use hot desk facilities in other offices. Notably, all 6 lived more than 20 miles from the office. Staff awareness of this option should be raised along with related home working options. It is noted that this type of work depends heavily on the staff role within AiB, however, any further uptake of the options will contribute towards reducing environmental targets. Overall, it is apparent from this and previous surveys that staff habits for their daily commute are unlikely to change much, even though previous surveys have resulted in positive measures such as the construction of a bike shed along with locker and shower usage. There may be further merit in examining the car parking facilities around the office but this should be done in line with continued raising of awareness of alternatives for personal and business travel. There is a marked increase in electric car charging points around Scotland and the UK, however this technology is still in its early stages and it is highly unlikely that electric cars will be in mass use in the near future. Throughout 2015, a series of articles will be published on the AiB intranet and through the AiB Times (formerly core brief) to highlight the various schemes and options available to staff.
15. REVIEW PERIOD The travel survey will be conducted annually in December
ANNEX A to 2014-15 survey
STAFF COMMENTS
Staff were asked if they had any other comments or questions. Comments from staff were mainly about car parking issues and public transport problems.
Comments were in the following areas:
Electric Points
Does AIB have electric car charging points? Electric car points would be good at AiB Where do you find about electric charging points?
19 Response – AiB does not have any plans to introduce electric charging points. The closest electric car charging point to AiB can be found outside the North Ayrshire Council building in Irvine. There are however 2 charging points at each of the main Scottish Government buildings at St Andrew's House, Saughton House, and Victoria Quay. There is also a fast charging point located a short distance from the main SG building at Atlantic Quay. Further information can be found through this link.
Parking issues
Additional car park spaces in Kilwinning would be useful as I am often forced to park in local streets which don't feel safe and my car has been broken into before and belongings stolen. I appreciate it is not easy to solve this problem as there is no easy way to extend parking. Car sharing is difficult with flexi time as most people leave at different times.
Given that we are not encouraged to park in local residential areas or commerce car parks, are there any plans to accommodate the daily plethora of vehicles that in order to stay within a sensible distance of the office are forced to park outside the barrier and often along the muddied, sodden grass verge?
Regardless of political policy it is clear that many people prefer to and/or have no other option than to use cars for transport. More consideration should be given to these employees by providing adequate car park or off road parking at the office
Response – As noted from the survey responses, there has been no particular change in car usage in travelling to and from the office and as such it is recognised there remains a high number of vehicles unable to access the office car park. AiB is aware of the parking issues around the office, will continue looking at options and for solutions and will keep staff informed of any changes. Staff are still encouraged to consider alternative modes of transport or car sharing and will include these in forthcoming awareness articles.
Public transport problems
Although I can drive to work in 15mins it would take over an hour by public transport as there are no direct routes between my home and Kilwinning it would also be extremely costly. No other staff members travel this route. As I work part time I have been unable to access the building's limited car parking facilities in the past 8 years.
I have to use a car as there is no direct bus link to work, I would require to get 3 buses and there is no train from my town to my work location.
Unless you live close to a station on the mainline between Glasgow and Kilwinning it takes a long time to get here on the train. For example I live on the south side of Glasgow so its 30mins before I get to the train for Kilwinning. Total journey is about twice as long as it is by car. I also need a car for personal use so it would be sitting idle if I didn't use it for work, which isn't efficient.
Travel links from home to work are problematic so it's easier to drive - also have mobility issues which, again, make it easier to drive. If there was a regular bus link I would consider using it but at the moment there is only 1 bus per hour between my town and work.
I would use the season ticket advance but stagecoach don't do a yearly ticket on my route plus they aren't on the SG's list of companies that offer it.
20 Response – The difficulties in accessing rail travel or buses is understood and travel by car is indeed often the most practical way to come to work. The option to hot desk at other offices remains an option to reduce a commute. Any staff considering this should discuss in the first instance with their line manager to ensure that business needs can still be met.
Other
I was previously cycling into work however there was only one shower facility working at the time and limited lockers available. I often had to wait to use it which wasn't ideal so this experience put me off.
The salary advance to purchase my season ticket has been a nightmare and not something I would recommend to anyone. Staff in Edinburgh appear to be unaware that people in the West have trains.
My rural location and caring responsibilities makes it virtually impossible to come to work without a car, therefore I don't have an option to consider other modes of travel. The questions on travel to meetings or events is quite misleading as most staff travel to Kilwinning first and then travel by train, most often to Glasgow. In other words, they have used their normal mode of travel to come to the office. Often there is not a choice of travelling directly to Glasgow as meetings tend to start later in the day.
I would like to have more opportunity of Hot desking in Glasgow.
Response – There is no change in the shower/locker facilities but there has been a marked reduction in staff cycling to work. This will be reviewed and information cascaded once available. Other comments are acknowledged and will be examined.
21