Costco Wholesale (UK) Limited

Costco Watford, Hartspring Ln

Travel Plan

February 2020

Contents

1 INTRODUCTION ...... 1 Background ...... 1 Policy Context ...... 2 Travel Plan Scope ...... 4 This Document ...... 4 2 SITE ASSESSMENT ...... 5 Site Location and Surrounding Area ...... 5 Site History ...... 5 Accessibility by Foot & Cycle ...... 5 Accessibility by Cycle ...... 10 Access by Public Transport ...... 10 Bus Services ...... 10 Rail Services ...... 11 Local Highway Network ...... 11 A41 North Western Avenue ...... 11 B642 Hartspring Lane ...... 12 M1 ...... 12 Section Summary ...... 12

3 BASELINE TRAVEL PATTERNS ...... 13 Office Staff Mode Share ...... 13 Warehouse Staff Mode Share...... 14 4 OBJECTIVES AND TARGETS ...... 15

Introduction ...... 15 Objectives ...... 15 Targets ...... 16 5 TRAVEL PLAN STRATEGY ...... 18

Travel Plan Management ...... 18 Marketing and Consultation ...... 19 Company Policy...... 19 Commitment from Senior Management...... 20 Steering Group ...... 20 6 MEASURES AND INITIATIVES ...... 22 Promoting Public Transport ...... 22 Promoting Cycling ...... 22 Promoting Walking ...... 23 Reducing Car Use ...... 23 Reducing the Need for Travel ...... 24

Provision of Travel Information ...... 24 Personalised Travel Planning ...... 24 EVCP ...... 25 7 MONITORING AND REVIEW ...... 26

Reporting ...... 26 Review ...... 26 8 ACTION PLAN ...... 27

Appendices

Appendix A - Staff Travel Surveys

1 INTRODUCTION

Background

1.1 Vectos is retained by Costco Wholesale (UK) Limited to provide transport advice to support a planning application for an uplift in office space, the addition of a Petrol Filling Station (PFS) and the addition of a car park deck with a rearrangement / amendment to car parking across the site.

1.2 A Costco Warehouse is a membership only wholesale warehouse, which offers a limited selection of products within a wide variety of product categories. Costco Membership Warehouse Clubs are open to members only. Membership is restricted to businesses or organisations (Trade members) and to individuals employed in certain jobs/professions. The office headquarters at the Watford site is attached to the warehouse building.

1.3 This Travel Plan (TP) has been prepared in accordance with guidance issued by Hertfordshire ‘Hertfordshire’s Travel Plan Guidance for Business and Residential Development’.

1.4 The office headquarters currently employ a total of 356 staff (95% full time, 5% part time).

1.5 This Travel Plan has been prepared to put in place the management tools deemed necessary to enable staff in the office and warehouse to make more informed decisions about their travel, which at the same time minimises the adverse impacts of their travel on the environment.

1.6 This is achieved by employing a set of measures and techniques to encourage more sustainable transport mode choice and travel behaviour, thereby reducing single occupancy car travel and the reducing the general demand on the highway network as a result of the development.

1.7 Costco is committed to the achievement of sustainable transport objectives as it recognises the commercial and environmental benefits of the implementation of a Travel Plan. Costco encourages its employees to travel to and from work using sustainable modes of travel.

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Policy Context

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)

1.8 The National Planning Policy Framework sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied.

1.9 Section 9 of the NPPF deals with ‘Promoting sustainable transport and states that:

The planning system should actively manage patterns of growth in support of these objectives. Significant development should be focused on locations which are or can be made sustainable, through limiting the need to travel and offering a genuine choice of transport modes.

1.10 When considering the development proposals, the framework plan states it should be ensured that:

a) appropriate opportunities to promote sustainable transport modes can be – or have been – taken up, given the type of development and its location; b) safe and suitable access to the site can be achieved for all users; and c) any significant impacts from the development on the transport network (in terms of capacity and congestion), or on highway safety, can be cost effectively mitigated to an acceptable degree. 1.11 It is stated that “Development should only be prevented or refused on highways grounds if there would be an unacceptable impact on highway safety, or the residual cumulative impacts on the road network would be severe”.

1.12 The policy states: “All developments that will generate significant amounts of movement should be required to provide a travel plan, and the application should be supported by a transport statement or transport assessment so that the likely impacts of the proposal can be assessed”.

National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG)

1.13 Launched in March 2014, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) launched the National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG) web-based resource. One section relates specifically to Transport and is titled ‘Travel Plans, Transport Assessments and

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Statements in decision-taking’ and this provides the overarching principles of Travel Plans, Transport Assessments and Statements.

1.14 The guidance explains the role of Transport Assessments and Statements as: “ways of assessing the potential transport impacts of developments (and they may propose mitigation measures to promote sustainable development. Where that mitigation relates to matters that can be addressed by management measures, the mitigation may inform the preparation of Travel Plans)”. The guidance also states that Travel Plans are “long term management strategies for integrating proposals for sustainable travel into the planning process. They should be brought forward in parallel with development proposals and should be integrated in to the design of developments.”

1.15 The guidance explains that when preparing Transport Assessments and Travel Plans the following key principles should be taken into account:

 “proportionate to the size and scope of the proposed development to which they relate and build on existing information wherever possible;  established at the earliest practicable possible stage of a development proposal;  be tailored to particular local circumstances (other locally-determined factors and information beyond those which are set out in this guidance may need to be considered in these studies provided there is robust evidence for doing so locally);  be brought forward through collaborative ongoing working between the Local Planning Authority/ Transport Authority, transport operators, Rail Network Operators, Highways Agency where there may be implications for the strategic road network and other relevant bodies. Engaging communities and local businesses in Travel Plans, Transport Assessments and Statements can be beneficial in positively supporting higher levels of walking and cycling (which in turn can encourage greater social inclusion, community cohesion and healthier communities).” 1.16 The guidance demonstrates that Transport Assessments and Statements and Travel Plans can positively contribute in the following ways:

 “encouraging sustainable travel;  lessening traffic generation and its detrimental impacts;  reducing carbon emissions and climate impacts;  creating accessible, connected, inclusive communities;

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 improving health outcomes and quality of life;  improving road safety; and  reducing the need for new development to increase existing road capacity or provide new roads.”

Travel Plan Scope

1.17 This Travel Plan will apply to travel undertaken by office and warehouse staff in terms of travel to / from work. This Travel Plan seeks to:

 Increase awareness of the advantages and potential for travel by more sustainable modes of travel; and  Introduce a package of physical and management measures that will assist travel by modes other than the car.

1.18 This is an evolving document and will change with input from HCC, Costco and other key stakeholders where appropriate.

This Document

1.19 This Travel Plan will contain all the relevant information needed to effectively develop and implement and the Travel Plan itself.

1.20 The remainder of this document is structured as follows:

 Section 2 - Site Assessment;  Section 3 - Baseline Travel Patterns ;  Section 4 - Objectives and Targets of the Travel Plan;  Section 5 - Travel Plan Strategy;  Section 6 - Proposed Measures of the Travel Plan;  Section 7 - Monitoring and Review; and  Section 8 - Action Plan.

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2 SITE ASSESSMENT

2.1 This section summarises the location of the development site at a strategic and local level and describes the existing transport networks for all modes of transport relevant to the site.

Site Location and Surrounding Area

2.2 The site is located to the east of Watford under the planning authority of Hertsmere Borough Council, approximately 2.4km ‘as the crow flies’ east of Watford Junction. The site is bounded by the A41 to the north and east, B462 to the west and green fields used for car boot sales and other uses to the south.

2.3 The surrounding land uses mainly comprise retail and leisure use including a David Lloyd, Travis Perkins, Wicks and a Hilton Hotel. Further to the west is a residential area.

Site History

2.4 The original planning permission which led to the construction of the Costco Watford warehouse club was granted by the Borough Council in December 1993 (ref: 93/0150/TP) and opened for trading in June 1994.

2.5 Since the initial application the site was granted planning permission for extensions in December 2003 (ref: TPC/2003/0023), September 2011 (TP/11/1323), March 2014 (13/2556/FUL) and April 2016 (ref: 16/0310/FUL). The April 2016 extensions have been implemented.

Accessibility by Foot & Cycle

2.6 The site is already connected to a series of footways which link to the surrounding retail uses and residential areas. To assess the current provision of facilities a desktop walking audit has been undertaken to the nearest bus stop (Park Avenue) located on the B462.

2.7 Due to the current COVID-19 circumstances the audit was undertaken via Google Maps with the images shown from April 2018.

2.8 Upon arrival by bus heading northbound, pedestrians and cyclists would exit the bus and route south via the shared footway/cycleway towards the island crossing shown within Image 1.

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Image 1: Hartspring Lane

2.9 This island crossing allows pedestrian and cyclists to cross safely while only focusing on one- direction of traffic at a time. Both dropped kerbs and tactile paving (Image 2) is present here to cater for those with visual or physical impairments.

Image 2: Island Crossing

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2.10 After crossing pedestrians and cyclists’ route back north before arriving at the Costco pedestrian and cyclist gateway as shown in Image 3.

Image 3: Costco Pedestrian/Cyclist Gateway

2.11 If pedestrians and cyclists were arriving from the southbound bus stop then they would join the route at this point. The gateway leads to a ramp, as shown in Image 4, which allows ease of access for cyclists as well as pedestrians.

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Image 4: Access ramp to Costco Car Park

2.12 The ramp leads to Costco car park and a zebra crossing allowing a clear demarcation for pedestrians to cross. At this point pedestrians would split from cyclists and navigate through the car park to the next pedestrian crossing as shown in Image 5.

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Image 5: Costco Car Park and crossing points

2.13 Cyclists on the other hand would likely route from the ramp and follow the direction of traffic to the cycle store located at the northwest corner of the building which is shown in Image 6.

Image 6: Existing Cycle Parking

2.14 When travelling from the site to the bus stops both pedestrians and cyclists would route in the same way in the opposing direction.

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Accessibility by Cycle

2.15 Several On-road and off road cycle routes are located adjacent to the site including an off- road cycle route along the A41 east of the site and a shared footway cycleway along the B462. An inset of the Watford Cycle Map (2011) is provided below for context with the site location marked by a red circle.

Figure 2.1: Watford Cycle Map (November 2011)

2.16 National Cycle Route (NCR) 6 is located approximately 2km cycling distance west and north of the site. NCR 6 extends from Uxbridge and Watford to Windermere in the Lake District. Locally it links to Rickmansworth and St Albans.

Access by Public Transport

Bus Services

2.17 Bus services can be accessed from stops along the B642 Hartspring Lane to the west of the development.

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2.18 Table 2.1 provides a summary of the bus services which are available within an approximate 300m (4 min) walking distance of the site.

Table 2.1: Existing Bus Services

Service Route Frequency (one way)

602 Watford - Shenley - St Albans - Hatfield 2 per hour Garston, St Michael's School - Two Services Daily 823 Borehamwood (School service) Garston, St Michael's School - South Oxhey Two Services Daily 833 / Carpenders Park (School service)

2.19 Bus route 602 provides a link from Watford High Street Station and Bushey to the site with services running twice hourly.

Rail Services

2.20 Bushey Railway Station is the nearest station to the development and is located approximately 2.7km by road to the south of the site (approximate 8 min drive).

2.21 The station is on the West Coast Line and provides regular services to various destinations between London Euston and Watford, amongst others.

2.22 Table 2.2 provides a summary of the London Overground and London Northwestern Railway typical services provided at Bushey Station.

Table 2.2 – Rail Services from Bushey Railway Station Route Typical Frequency London Euston 6 per hour Watford Junction 4 per hour Tring 2 per hour

Local Highway Network

A41 North Western Avenue

2.23 The A41 North Western Avenue runs on a northwest southeast trajectory located to the north/east of the site. The road has streetlighting along its length with a footway set back behind a verge provided along the southern boundary, in proximity to the site. The A41 provides a ghost island right turn lane and forms a priority junction with the Costco access road acting as the main vehicular access into the site.

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2.24 The road is subject to the national speed limit and has an island crossing located at the junction of the B462.

B642 Hartspring Lane

2.25 B642 Hartspring Lane runs to the west of the development where it forms a priority junction with the Costco car park access road. The B642 Hartspring Lane is a single carriageway road that runs southbound from the B642 / A41 four arm roundabout junction, is has street lighting along its length and has footways provided on both sides of the carriageway.

2.26 Junction 5 of the M1 is located 1.1km driving distance north of the site and forms part of the strategic road network. It connects to the M25 and further afield to Luton and Milton Keynes.

Section Summary

2.27 The site is located to the east of Watford 1.1km south of M1 J5. The site has access to several on-road and off-road cycle routes and connection that lead into Watford and to the surrounding retail uses as well as exiting footway connections. The site is accessible to both Bushey and Watford Highstreet Station by bus or bicycle which provides national rail and Overground services into London. As such, there are several sustainable alterative to car travel to the site.

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3 BASELINE TRAVEL PATTERNS

3.1 This section sets out the modal split for the site in order to allow targets for reducing single occupancy car trips to be made.

3.2 The Travel Plan sets out a range of targets based on this data and a commitment to undertake a range of surveys over a five-year period to monitor achievement of the targets set.

Office Staff Mode Share

3.3 The modal split has been taken from Staff Travel Surveys undertaken at the Watford Costco office at the end of 2019 (see Table 3.1 below for the results of the survey). A note summarising the findings of the staff travel survey can be found in Appendix A.

Table 3.1 – Office Staff Modal Split Travel Mode Staff (%) Walk 2% Cycle 1% Train 0% Bus 1% Car Driver 92% Car Share 3% Taxi 0% Scooter / M/C 0% Other 0% Total 100%

3.4 Table 3.1 shows that travelling by car alone is by far the most popular mode of transport for staff travelling to the office (92%).

3.5 As part of the travel survey the home postcode of office employees were requested. This highlighted that 40% of office employees live in the Watford area and it is these members of staff (rather than those who live further afield) and those local to the site that would be primary targeted staff.

3.6 The mode split shown in Table 3.1 will be used for monitoring and target setting purposes that accurately identifies how staff at the office currently travel, with these results known as Year 0 (baseline).

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Warehouse Staff Mode Share

3.7 The modal split has been taken from Staff Travel Surveys undertaken at the Watford Costco warehouse at the end of 2019 (see Table 3.2 below for the results of the survey). A note summarising the findings of the staff travel survey can be found in Appendix A.

Table 3.2 – Warehouse Staff Modal Split Travel Mode Staff (%) Walk 8% Cycle 3% Train 2% Bus 3% Car Driver 66% Car Share 12% Taxi 4% Scooter / M/C 3% Other 0% Total 100%

3.8 Table 3.2 shows that travelling by car alone is the most popular mode of transport for staff travelling to the site (66%), followed by car share (12%) and walking (8%).

3.9 As part of the travel survey the home postcode of warehouse employees were requested. This highlighted that 56% of warehouse employees live in the Watford area, whilst 13% live in Harrow and it is these members of staff (rather than those who live further afield) and those local to the site that would be primary targeted staff.

3.10 The mode split shown in Table 3.2 will be used for monitoring and target setting purposes that accurately identifies how staff at the warehouse currently travel, with these results known as Year 0 (baseline).

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4 OBJECTIVES AND TARGETS

Introduction

4.1 This chapter sets out the overarching objectives for the Travel Plan, as well as targets for the short and medium term that includes indicators through which progress towards meeting the targets will be measured.

4.2 Further information on monitoring and review of the travel plan can be found in Chapter 8.

 Objectives are the high-level aims of the Travel Plan. They help to give the Travel Plan direction and provide a clear focus.  Targets are the measurable goals by which progress will be assessed. The Travel Plan sets out targets which the warehouse will seek to reach within the period covered by this Travel Plan. In addition, interim targets have been set.

4.3 The objectives, targets and indicators are set out in this chapter.

Objectives

4.4 The Travel Plan’s over-riding objective is:

To engage with, and encourage staff to use more sustainable ways of travelling to the site, through more effective promotion of sustainable modes. This will minimise the impact of the development on the surrounding road and public transport network during peak hours.

4.5 The sub-objectives are:

 Sub-objective 1: To actively promote sustainable transport options for travel to and from the office and warehouse, to enable informed decisions about how to travel;  Sub-objective 2: To increase the use of active and green travel modes (particularly for shorter trips), and to encourage staff to build active travel into their everyday routines to support and contribute to wider health initiatives;  Sub-objective 3: To maximise the accessibility of the site by active modes at all times; and

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 Sub-objective 4: To raise awareness of the impacts of their travel choices on health, the local environment etc.

Targets

4.6 Travel Plan targets are measurable goals by which progress can be assessed. These targets should be reviewed through a programme of monitoring (outlined in Chapter 6) to ensure they remain SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable Realistic and Timed).

4.7 Table 4.1 and Table 4.2 outline the targets set out for Costco office and warehouse employees respectively at the site in Watford. The targets are set to measure progress towards the main objectives over 5 years. These targets are to be achieved within 5 years of the launch of the Travel Plan. The interim targets are to be reached within three years of the launch of the travel plan. These baseline figures are taken from the staff travel surveys, as detailed in Table 3.1 and Table 3.2.

4.8 Indicators are the elements which will be measured in order to assess the progress towards meeting the final and interim targets. For the most part this will be the main mode listed by employees of the site in the monitoring surveys, conducted annually up to and including Year 5.

Table 4.1: Office Travel Plan Targets Mode Split Target Indicator Baseline Interim Final Achieve a 10% reduction in Modal split monitoring 92% 87% 82% the mode share for SOVs* surveys for SOVs Achieve a 5% increase in the Modal Split monitoring 3% 6% 8% mode share for car sharing surveys for car share Achieve a 5% increase in the Modal Split monitoring mode share for active surveys for walking & 3% 6% 8% modes cycling *Single Occupancy Vehicles

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Table 4.2: Warehouse Travel Plan Targets Mode Split Target Indicator Baseline Interim Final Achieve a 10% reduction in Modal split monitoring 66% 61% 56% the mode share for SOVs* surveys for SOVs Achieve a 5% increase in the Modal Split monitoring 12% 15% 17% mode share for car sharing surveys for car share Achieve a 5% increase in the Modal Split monitoring mode share for active surveys for walking & 11% 14% 16% modes cycling *Single Occupancy Vehicles

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5 TRAVEL PLAN STRATEGY

5.1 This section will outline the strategy for the implementation of the Travel Plan. Costco Wholesale (UK) Limited is responsible for the delivery of this Travel Plan.

Travel Plan Management

5.2 A Travel Plan Coordinator (TPC) has been appointed by Costco Wholesale (UK) to oversee the management of the Travel Plan to manage the ongoing document.

5.3 The contact details of the TPC are as follows:

Name: Kate Merson Email Address: [email protected]

5.4 In addition, as requested by HCC it is noted that a secondary contact is also provided who is a member of management, these contact details are provided below.

Name: Neil Daniels Email Address: [email protected]

5.5 The TPC is responsible for overseeing the management, development, implementation, monitoring and review of the Travel Plan. The primary responsibilities of this role include:

 The implementation of measures as set out in the Travel Plan.  Reporting to, and consultation with Costco staff and HCC Travel Plan Officers  Managing the development and implementation of the Travel Plan measures;  Promoting the objectives and benefits of the Travel Plan;  Monitoring the success of the Travel Plan against the agreed targets;  Reporting the results of the Travel Plan to the stakeholders especially HCC Travel Plan Officers; and  Regular updating of the Travel Plan document is part of the responsibility of the nominated person.

5.6 As the TPC will be onsite it does not seem necessary to be specific on the time they will spend on the role, but a commitment will be made to delivering the tasks identified for the TPC.

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5.7 All of the Management Team and Duty Managers will be made aware of the Travel Plan and the aims of the Travel Plan and will be therefore available to answer any queries in the absence of the Travel Plan Coordinator.

Marketing and Consultation

5.8 All staff will be made aware of the existence of the Travel Plan upon commencement of their employment. The details of the Travel Plan, its objectives in enhancing the environment and the role of individuals in achieving the objectives of the Travel Plan will be explained in the initial interview or on the first day as part of the New Starter Induction procedure.

5.9 The contact details of the TPC will be advertised in the event of staff wishing to discuss specific matters directly.

5.10 The following will be used as a means of disseminating information to staff and to promote events/campaigns/promotions/services/initiatives:

 Staff notice boards; and  Staff Newsletters

5.11 It is important to note that this list is not exhaustive or definitive. The TPC should decide what Marketing measures would be best suited to the office and warehouse.

5.12 In addition, Costco will continually review and update the Travel Plan through consultation with staff, feedback will be encouraged.

5.13 The results of the staff travel survey will be displayed on the Noticeboard and the Travel Plan will be easily available for staff reference at all times.

Company Policy

5.14 It is and will remain company policy to facilitate and enable staff to be fully informed in a manner that is readily accessible to them, on the range and means by which the office and warehouse can be accessed by modes other than the car. Wherever possible, Costco will positively encourage staff and visitors to leave their car behind. There are a number of ways this will be achieved. For example:

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 Directions to visitors which shall be headed by information on how to get to the warehouse by public transport including the UK Company web site www.costco.co.uk  Maps will show bus routes with service frequencies.  Costco will exercise flexibility which reflects Costco’s operational needs over staff working hours to enable staff journeys-to-work to fit in with public transport timetables and to avoid the need for all staff to travel at peak hours.  Meetings should be held with staff, where possible, when the highest number of staff occurs during a working day, with staff encouraged to attend the meetings.

Commitment from Senior Management

5.15 Costco Management understands the benefits of promoting sustainable transport and are therefore committed to the objectives of this Plan. The Travel Plan will be fully funded by Costco.

5.16 Senior management on-site will endorse and promote the objectives and benefits of the Travel Plan.

5.17 As stated above, all of the Management Team and Duty Managers will be made aware of the Travel Plan and the aims of the Travel Plan and will be therefore available to answer any queries in the absence of the Travel Plan Coordinator.

Steering Group

5.18 The Travel Plan Steering Group (TPSG) will meet on a three monthly basis for the first year and then on a 6 monthly basis after this.

5.19 The TPSG will be convened and chaired by the TPC and will involve the Manager, Senior Managers and a nominated Staff Representative to discuss the success of the Travel Plan to that date and then the programme of measures and initiatives for the period through to the next meeting. It will act as a progress meeting and notes of the key points and discussions of the actions will be taken.

5.20 The results of the monitoring surveys to be discussed and any amendments to the Travel Plan to be debated and agreed.

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5.21 The TPC will report any travel awareness or other measures that are being implemented on wider area basis to ensure that the TPSG are aware of any such initiatives and can then determine whether it is appropriate for Costco to become involved in them.

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6 MEASURES AND INITIATIVES

6.1 This section of the Travel Plan outlines the specific physical and management measures to be undertaken as part of the Travel Plan. The implementation of the listed measures, which include awareness initiatives and infrastructure provision, is the core of the Travel Plan. Measures are grouped together broadly under ‘alternative mode of transport’ headings.

Promoting Public Transport

6.2 Costco will:

 Publicise existing local transport services and provide up-to-date timetables on a information boards within the office.  National Rail and National Journey Planner websites and enquiry phone numbers will be advertised through all relevant means. Local journey planning websites such as www.intalink.org.uk will also by advertised to staff.  All staff will be made aware of the existence of the TP during their interview and on the first day of the New Starter Induction procedure.  The TPC will investigate the possibility of obtaining season ticket loans to allow staff to spread the cost of travelling by public transport.

Promoting Cycling

6.3 There is potential to increase cycling to and from the site. The TPC will actively promote cycling as a viable transport option by supporting those interested in cycling in terms of promoting good routes and maintaining and/or establishing the physical facilities required.

6.4 Costco will:

 The TPC will contact local bike shops to try and explore the possibility of an employee discount  Provide secure cycle parking with 8 additional spaces provided for office staff in the existing location, in line with cycle parking requirements to meet policy standard  Provide secure cycle parking with 10 additional spaces (5 Sheffield stands) provided for warehouse staff and customers in the existing location

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 Liaise with HCC to explore the improvement of links between the site and the local cycle network or public highway where required  Set up a Bicycle User Group (BUG) if demand warrants it  Explore the cycle to work scheme for employees  Costco will explore cycle training/led rides for staff  Existing changing and shower facilities for staff monitored.

Promoting Walking

6.5 Walking is one of the most sustainable methods of travel and has a number of proven physical and psychological benefits. Walking features in most people’s journeys, including those who use public transport or those without access to a car.

6.6 Walking is free and offers reliable journey times. It has an important role to play for journeys made to the site.

6.7 Costco will:

 Ensure that walkways within the site are direct, well lit and well signed  Provide staff with advice on and recommend safe walking routes to and from work.  The financial, health and fitness benefits of walking will be promoted.  Provide maps of walking routes in the area on both staff and customer travel information boards.  A new pedestrian access to Hartspring Lane is also to be provided as part of the scheme that has a direct route through the car park to the office and warehouse entrance.

Reducing Car Use

6.8 Costco will encourage staff to participate in a car-sharing scheme by undertaking the following measures:

 Investigate the opportunities to join car clubs within the local area.  Provide information to links to Car Share Schemes on Staff Travel Information Boards.

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 Offer a guaranteed ride home to staff in any emergency, for those who are passengers in a car share or those who arrive by non-car modes.

6.9 Costco will deter the use of cars by:

 Not providing company cars for staff.  Encouraging staff that rely on their cars to use more fuel-efficient vehicles through the provision of information.  Encouraging staff to use public transport or, walk/cycle for short business journeys, where this is considered viable.  Only paying car mileage for business journeys and not for private use.  Providing information to help drivers reduce the environmental impact of their driving

Reducing the Need for Travel

6.10 Costco will reduce the need to travel by:

 Staff will be sent an induction package on acceptance of employment that will contain details of public transport links to the site.

Provision of Travel Information

6.11 Costco will:

 Provide leaflets to staff setting out the aims of the Travel Plan and the alternative modes of transport available, including maps within staff room / office to show local cycle routes, bus routes and stops, and walk catchment areas. These are to include simplified timetables.  Promote the healthy well-being of its staff by encouraging staff to walk and cycle to work to improve health and fitness. This will be advertised within the staff room.

Personalised Travel Planning

6.12 The TPC will offer a personalised Travel Planning service for all staff who requests it. The TPC will be able to draw on advice from journey planning websites.

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EVCP

6.13 In order to promote sustainable travel Electric Vehicle Charging Points (EVCP) will be provided within the proposed car park deck. There will be a total of 14 active and 14 passive spaces provided as part of the scheme, with the demand monitored by the TPC.

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7 MONITORING AND REVIEW

7.1 As previously stated, the staff travel survey will be known as Year 0 (baseline) and will represents the start of the Travel Plan for monitoring purposes.

7.2 Further Staff Travel Surveys will be carried out annually on the anniversary of the baseline survey up to and including Year 5 using the same brief.

7.3 Monitoring of the surveys will be fully funded by Costco; the cost of each Staff Travel Survey is approximately £750.

7.4 After completion of the staff travel survey the results were provided to HCC summarising the findings in a note, that can be found in Appendix A.

7.5 Discussions will subsequently be undertaken with HCC on the outcome of the staff survey and adjustments to the Travel Plan will be agreed. Following approval, Costco will implement, review and monitor the Travel Plan.

7.6 In addition, cycle parking and Electric Vehicle Charging Points will be monitored by the TPC, particularly in the summer months in the case of cycle parking, to ensure that supply meets demand. If it is found that additional spaces are needed, they will be provided – the additional spaces will be added to the existing parking areas.

Reporting

7.7 The TPC will submit annual monitoring reports to HCC. The monitoring reports will include the results of any site wide surveys conducted, details of any new measures introduced, and provide a general summary.

Review

7.8 The Travel Plan will be reviewed on year 1, 3 and 5 of operation. Should targets not have been met, measures will be discussed with HCC and revised as necessary.

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8 ACTION PLAN

8.1 The Action Plans outlined below in Table 8.1 sets out the measures included within the Travel Plan that are directed at influencing staff travel.

8.2 The action plan will be revised every year following each Annual Travel Plan Review.

8.3 All Travel Plan Measures will be fully funded by Costco.

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Table 8.1 Action Plan for Travel Plan Measures

Status/ Measures Notes / Cost Method of Monitoring Responsibility Target Date General Appointment of the Travel Plan Costco will appoint a TPC / Additional Duty – no Immediately N/A Costco Coordinator (TPC) extra cost Information Provision Noticeboards detailing transport options such as Staff Noticeboard public transport timetables (updated regularly) Upon scheme being implemented N/A Costco / TPC and safe walking and cycling routes. / £100 per year Cycling An additional 8 Cycle parking spaces to be Monitoring of cycle racks / provided for office staff Spot checks as part of ongoing Costco stands An additional 10 cycle parking spaces to be maintenance rounds provided for warehouse employees & customers Provide cycle route maps and other information relating to TPC to monitor uptake TPC cycle facilities Negotiate discounts at local If possible / Free ongoing TPC to monitor uptake TPC bike retailers Promote National Cycle Such as Bike Week / Free Annually - TPC Initiatives Explore Cycle to work scheme Upon scheme being implemented TPC to monitor uptake TPC Walking Health benefits of walking to be Promoted in conjunction with the organisation of Spring and Summer (annually) NA TPC promoted (10,000 Steps a Day) social walks and walk to work days / Free Employees and visitors to be As part of Travel Packs, induction sessions, provided with information On-going through recruitment NA TPC Noticeboard / Circa £5 per employee related to safe walking routes.

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Table 8.1 Action Plan for Travel Plan Measures

As part of the proposals the access will a direct A new pedestrian access to route through the car park to the warehouse Upon scheme being implemented NA Costco Hartspring Lane entrance. Public Transport Sustainable Travel Notice board with timetable information for Located in visible public areas Upon scheme being implemented Administrative - TPC Costco/ TPC employees/visitors Ensure that taxi contact details are available for TPC to ensure details are Taxi Services Upon scheme being implemented TPC employees / visitors / Free kept up to date Explore season ticket loans to allow staff to spread the cost of With local service provider Upon scheme being implemented TPC TPC travelling by public transport. Vehicles Explore car share club On-going TPC Electric Charging Vehicle Points Active & passive spaces to be provided within demand monitored by Upon scheme being implemented Costco (EVCP) the proposed parking deck the TPC

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APPENDIX A

Costco, Watford 2019 Travel Survey Results Summary Note – Home Office

December 2019 183910/N02

Introduction

1. This note provides a summary of the 2019 staff travel survey undertaken in November 2019 at the Costco store in Watford.

2. The survey consisted of 11 questions which were designed to gain an understanding of current staff travel behaviour, with this note summarising the staff who work in the home office. Results

3. The survey received a total of 243 responses, it should be noted that not every respondent answered every question, and, in some instances, respondents may have provided more than one answer to a question.

4. The following sections provide a summary of the responses to each question posed to the employees.

Question 1 – Home postcode

5. The respondents were asked to provide the first half of their home postcode to allow a high- level understanding of where the home office employees live in relation to the site.

6. The postcode areas in which staff live within have been summarised in Table 1 overleaf.

Page: 2

Table 1: Summary of Employee Home Postcodes Postcode Area Number of % Respondents WD - Watford 97 40% HA – Harrow 17 7% HP – Hemel Hempstead 29 12% LU – Luton 12 5% NW – North West London 6 2% AL – St Albans 26 11% EN – Enfield 1 1% NN – Northampton 3 1% RM – Romford 2 1% UB - Southall 6 2% RG – Berkshire 2 1% MK – Milton Keynes 5 2% E – East London 1 1% GU – Guildford 2 1% W - West London 1 1% N - North London 8 3% WS – West Midlands 1 1% SG – Stevenage 3 1% TW – Twickenham 1 1% SL – Slough 3 1% DA – Dartford 1 1% NG – Nottingham 1 1% No Response/Incorrect Response 15 6% Total 243 100% * Any errors in the table due to rounding 7. Table 1 shows that most employees live within Watford (40%), with the neighbouring areas Hemel Hempstead and St Albans accounting for 12% and 11% of respondents home postcode locations respectively.

8. The remaining staff are relatively well spread across the other postcode areas identified. It is noted that most of these postcode areas are located within relatively close proximity of the site.

9. It is noted that 6% of respondents either did not provide a response or provided an answer in an incorrect format, which could not be assessed.

Question 2 – Gender

10. The respondents were asked what their gender is, 50% respondents stated that they are male, while 50% responded as female.

Costco, Watford – Travel Survey Summary 2 December 2019

Page: 3

Question 3 – Where do you work?

11. The survey responses were from 100% of staff working in the office (243 respondents).

Question 4 – Is your work…? (contract type)

12. Question 4 asked the employees what type of work contract they have (i.e. part-time, full- time or job share). The results of this question showed that 96% of respondents worked full time, with the remaining 4% working on a part time basis.

Question 5 – What is your main mode of travel to work?

13. The main modes of travel to work results have been summarised in Figure 1. It should be noted that some modes have been combined for ease of reading. Table 2, provided subsequently, provides the full set of results with each mode split out. Figure 1: Main Mode of Travel to Work

14. Figure 2 shows that travelling by car alone is by far the most popular mode of transport to the site, with the remaining modes accounting for smaller proportions that make up Figure 1.

Costco, Watford – Travel Survey Summary 3 December 2019

Page: 4

15. Table 2 below provides the detailed mode share results of the office staff.

Number of Mode % Respondents Walk 4 2% Cycle 2 1% Train 1 0% Bus 2 1% Car Share - Driver 5 2% Car Share - Passenger 3 1% Solo Driver 224 92% Taxi 1 0% Scooter or M/C (below 125cc) 1 0% Total 243 100.0% * Any errors in the table due to rounding

Question 6 – How long does It currently take you to travel to/from work?

16. Employees were asked how long it typically takes them to travel to and from work. Figure 2 below provides a summary of their responses. Figure 2: Travel Time to/from Work

17. As can be seen from Figure 2 there are 50% of staff that currently travel under 30 minutes to work. There are 11% of office employees who work over an hour away, with the remaining 39% between 30-60 minutes from work.

Costco, Watford – Travel Survey Summary 4 December 2019

Page: 5

Question 7 – Which of the following do you occasionally use instead of your usual form of transport?

18. Staff were asked what other modes of transport they occasionally use instead of their usual mode. These alternative modes may reflect how they travel in particularly adverse, or good weather conditions, or should a car share arrangement not be possible on a given day (i.e. due to sickness).

19. A total of 40 respondents answered they would not use any other form of travel. The respondents who answered Question 7 have been summarised below in Figure 3. Figure 3: Occasional alternative mode of transport

20. Figure 3 shows that when staff are unable to travel by their typical main mode of transport, driving a car alone falls to 29%, car sharing is a favourable option (total of 27% - driving and sharing). There are also higher levels of walking (+17%).

21. These trends generally show that staff members are able to travel in a more sustainable manner, if they have a need to/ weather conditions permitting.

Costco, Watford – Travel Survey Summary 5 December 2019

Page: 6

Question 8 – Which of the following would encourage you to cycle to work?

22. Respondents were asked to rank different improvement options in accordance with which they felt would be most likely to encourage them to cycle to work, to the least likely. Alternatively, if the respondent already cycled to work, they were asked to rank the options based on which they would most like to see.

23. It is noted that many respondents either only answered with which their favourite option was or failed to provide an answer. As such Figure 4 has been produced to show the first- choice improvement option indicated by respondents, as this is the most relevant and received the highest level of response.

24. Of the total respondents 26% said nothing would encourage them to cycle to work and 17% stated they live too far from work to cycle. These two options have therefore been excluded from Figure 4.

Figure 4: Improvement most likely to encourage cycling to work

25. Of the positive responses Figure 4 shows that 59% of respondents (81 respondents) stated that the option that they considered most likely to encourage them to cycle was the provision of footways/cycleways separated from the road. The second most popular option was for changing facilities / showers at 17% (23 respondents).

26. The remaining options (including training, providing information and providing better facilities within the site) were chosen to lesser extents by respondents.

Costco, Watford – Travel Survey Summary 6 December 2019

Page: 7

Question 9 – Which of the following changes would most encourage you to use public transport to travel to work?

27. Respondents were asked to rank different improvement options in accordance with which they felt would be most likely to encourage them to use public transport to get to work, to least likely. Alternatively, if the respondent already travelled by public transport modes, they were asked to rank the options based on which they would most like to see.

28. A total of 59 respondents stated that nothing would encourage them to use public transport to travel to work. The results of those who answered the question have been set out in Figure 5 below. Figure 5: Improvement most likely to encourage public transport use

29. Figure 5 shows that 93 respondents stated that their first choice of improvement to encourage them to use public transport is for suitable bus routes to be provided with well time bus and rail connections the second most frequent answer, with 38 respondents.

30. Higher bus frequency, reduced ticket prices and better public transport information made up the remaining answers.

Costco, Watford – Travel Survey Summary 7 December 2019

Page: 8

Question 10 – How many times do you leave the Costco site during your breaks?

31. The results to how often staff leave the site during their breaks is summarised in Figure 6 below.

Figure 6: How often leave the site during breaks (weekly)

32. Figure 6 suggests that the split of staff who leave the site during their break periods is evenly split. It is noted from the comments provided this may in part be due to the food court being available to staff on-site, thus limiting the need to leave the site for meals.

Question 11 – Will any of the following encourage you to commute by car share?

33. Staff were also questioned as to what measures could be implemented to further increase car sharing at the site.

34. A total of 90 respondents answered this question with the response that nothing would encourage them to car share, or they already do car partake in car sharing. The responses of those who answered the question have been set out in Figure 7 overleaf.

35. There were a total of 30 respondents (12%) that said they already took place in car sharing (either as driver or passenger).

Costco, Watford – Travel Survey Summary 8 December 2019

Page: 9

Figure 7: Measures to encourage commute by car share

36. Figure 7 shows that of the staff who responded to this question there were three answers that were split almost evenly with reserved car park spaces (34%), guaranteed transport home in an emergency (35%) and helping to find a car share partner (31%).

37. The results of the analysis show that car sharing is something that should be explored and staff are open to the option if presented with the appropriate incentives.

Costco, Watford – Travel Survey Summary 9 December 2019

Costco, Watford 2019 Travel Survey Results Summary Note – Warehouse

December 2019 183910/N02

Introduction

1. This note provides a summary of the 2019 staff travel survey undertaken in November 2019 at the Costco store in Watford.

2. The survey consisted of 11 questions which were designed to gain an understanding of current staff travel behaviour. Results

3. The survey received a total of 109 responses, it should be noted that not every respondent answered every question, and, in some instances, respondents may have provided more than one answer to a question.

4. The following sections provide a summary of the responses to each question posed to the employees.

Question 1 – Home postcode

5. The respondents were asked to provide the first half of their home postcode to allow a high- level understanding of where the employees live in relation to the site.

6. The postcode areas in which staff live within have been summarised in Table 1 overleaf.

Page: 2

Table 1: Summary of Employee Home Postcodes Postcode Area Number of % Respondents WD - Watford 61 56% HA – Harrow 14 13% HP – Hemel Hempstead 7 6% LU – Luton 4 4% NW – North West London 3 3% AL – St Albans 3 3% EN – Enfield 2 2% CR – Croydon 1 1% SS – Southend-on-Sea 1 1% NN – Northampton 1 1% RM – Romford 1 1% No Response/Incorrect Response 11 10% Total 109 101%* * Any errors in the table due to rounding 7. Table 1 shows that most employees live within Watford (56%), with the neighbouring areas of Harrow and Hemel Hempstead accounting for 13% and 6% of respondents home postcode locations respectively.

8. The remaining staff are relatively well spread across the other postcode areas identified. It is noted that most of these postcode areas are located within relatively close proximity of the site.

9. It is noted that 10% of respondents either did not provide a response or provided an answer in an incorrect format, which could not be assessed.

Question 2 – Gender

10. The respondents were asked what their gender is, 53% respondents stated that they are male, while 47% responded as female.

Question 3 – Where do you work?

11. The employees were asked whether they work within the warehouse, or from a home office. The survey responses suggest that 99.1% of staff work at the warehouse, with the remaining 0.9% (1 respondent) working in an office.

Question 4 – Is your work…? (contract type)

12. Question 4 asked the employees what type of work contract they have (i.e. part-time, full- time or job share). The results of this question are presented in Figure 1.

Costco, Watford – Travel Survey Summary 2 December 2019

Page: 3

Figure 1: Working Contract Type

Work Contract Type (%)

Full Time 76%

Part Time 23%

Job Share 0%

Not Stated 1%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

13. Figure 1 shows that 76% of staff work full-time hours, while 23% work part-time and 1% of respondents did not answer this question. No staff were found to work in a job share arrangement.

Question 5 – What is your main mode of travel to work?

14. The main modes of travel to work results have been summarised in Figure 2. It should be noted that some modes have been combined for ease of reading. Table 2, provided subsequently, provides the full set of results with each mode split out.

Figure 2: Main Mode of Travel to Work

Costco, Watford – Travel Survey Summary 3 December 2019

Page: 4

15. Figure 2, shows that travelling by car alone is the most popular mode of transport to the site, followed by car sharing and walking, with the remaining modes accounting for smaller proportions that make up Figure 2.

16. Table 2 below provides the detailed mode share results. It is noted that some respondents provided more than one answer to this question, hence a total of 130 respondents rather than 109 as previously stated.

Mode Number of % Respondents Walk 10 7.7% Cycle 4 3.1% Tube 0 0.0% Train 2 1.5% Bus 4 3.1% DLR 0 0.0% Car Share - Driver 9 6.9% Car Share - Passenger 6 4.6% Solo Driver 86 66.2% Taxi 5 3.8% Scooter or M/C (below 125cc) 3 2.3% M/C above 125cc 1 0.8% Work from Home 0 0.0% Other 0 0.0% Total 130 100.0%

Question 6 – How long does It currently take you to travel to/from work?

17. Employees were asked how long it typically takes them to travel to and from work. Figure 3 below provides a summary of their responses and shows that the majority can travel to and from the site in under half an hour. Figure 3: Travel Time to/from Work How Long Does It Currently Take you to Travel to/ from Work?

76% 80%

60%

40% 15% 20% 7% 2% 0% 0-30 min 30-60 min Longer than 60 Not Stated min

Costco, Watford – Travel Survey Summary 4 December 2019

Page: 5

Question 7 – Which of the following do you occasionally use instead of your usual form of transport?

19. Figure 4 provides a summary of the results to this question.

Figure 4: Occasional alternative mode of transport

Which of the following do you occassionally use instead of your usual form of transport?

M/C or Scooter, 2%

Taxi, 8%

Walk, 21%

Cycle, 1% Car Share , 24% Rail Modes, 9%

Bus, 10%

Car Alone, 24%

20. Figure 4 shows that when staff are unable to travel by their typical main mode of transport, there is a lower level of travelling in a car alone (24%, compared to 66% in Figure 2), double the amount of car sharing (24%, rather than 12% typically) and higher levels of public transport (+14%), walking (+13%) and taxi (+4%).

21. These trends generally show that staff members are able to travel in a more sustainable manner, if they have a need to/ weather conditions permitting.

22. The full set of mode share data for this question, with each mode split out is provided in Table 3 overleaf.

Costco, Watford – Travel Survey Summary 5 December 2019

Page: 6

Table 3: Alternative mode of transport Mode Number of % Respondents Walk 21 21.2% Cycle 1 1.0% Tube 2 2.0% Train 7 7.1% Bus 10 10.1% DLR 0 0.0% Car Share - Driver 8 8.1% Car Share - Passenger 16 16.2% Solo Driver 24 24.2% Taxi 8 8.1% Scooter or M/C (below 125cc) 1 1.0% M/C above 125cc 1 1.0% Work from Home 0 0.0% Other 0 0.0% Total 99 100.0%

Question 8 – Which of the following would encourage you to cycle to work?

23. Respondents were asked to rank different improvement options in accordance with which they felt would be most likely to encourage them to cycle to work, to the least likely. Alternatively, if the respondent already cycled to work, they were asked to rank the options based on which they would most like to see.

24. It is noted that many respondents either only answered with which their favourite option was or failed to provide an answer. As such Figure 5 has been produced to show the first- choice improvement option indicated by respondents, as this is the most relevant and received the highest level of response.

Costco, Watford – Travel Survey Summary 6 December 2019

Page: 7

Figure 5: Improvement most likely to encourage cycling to work

Which of the following would encourage you to cycle to work (1st preference)

Installation of bus shelters 32%

Better public transport information 6%

Higher bus service frequency 8%

Reduced ticket price 13%

Well timed bus and rail connections 15%

Suitable bus routes 25%

Other 0%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

25. Figure 5 shows that 23 respondents stated that the option that they considered most likely to encourage them to cycle was the provision of improved lighting along footways/cycleways. The second most popular option was for footpaths/cycleways to be separated from the road (18 respondents).

26. The remaining options (including training, providing information and providing better facilities within the site) were chosen to lesser extents by respondents.

Question 9 – Which of the following changes would most encourage you to use public transport to travel to work?

28. Figure 6 overleaf presents the results of this analysis.

Costco, Watford – Travel Survey Summary 7 December 2019

Page: 8

Figure 6: Improvement most likely to encourage public transport use

Which of the following would encourage you to use public transport to travel to work (1st preference)

Installation of bus shelters 2%

Better public transport information 7%

Higher bus service frequency 10%

Reduced ticket price 24%

Well timed bus and rail connections 16%

Suitable bus routes 41%

Other 0%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

29. Figure 6 shows that 38 respondents stated that their first choice of improvement to encourage them to use public transport is for suitable bus routes to be provided with reduced ticket price the second most frequent answer, with 22 respondents.

30. Bus shelters and better information provision were found to be the least favoured options of those provided.

Question 10 – How many times do you leave the Costco site during your breaks?

31. The results to how often staff leave the site during their breaks is summarised in Figure 7 below.

Figure 7: How often leave the site during breaks (weekly)

How many times do you leave Costco during your breaks? 70% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 18% 20% 4% 5% 10% 0% 3% 1% 0%

Costco, Watford – Travel Survey Summary 8 December 2019

Page: 9

32. Figure 7 suggests that 88% of respondents rarely or never leave the site during their break periods. It is noted from the comments provided this may in part be due to the food court being available to staff on-site, thus limiting the need to leave the site for meals.

Question 11 – Will any of the following encourage you to commute by car share?

33. Staff were also questioned as to what measures could be implemented to further increase car sharing at the site, Figure 8 shows the results of this analysis.

Figure 8: Measures to encourage commute by car share

Will any of the following encourage you to commute by car share?

Help in finding a car share partner 32%

Guaranteed transport home in an emergency 27%

Registered car park spaces for registered users 8%

32% I do it already

Other 0%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

34. Figure 8 shows that of the staff who responded to this question almost a third state that they already car share. The remaining respondents show strong preferences to both being helped to find a car share partner and a guarantee that they will be provided with transport home in an emergency (i.e. a taxi if they or their car share partner is ill).

35. The comments received as part of this question were also reviewed and it was determined that 2 staff stated that they could not car share due to child care commitments and a further 3 staff stated that they could not car share or it would be difficult to as a result of staff having different shift patterns.

Costco, Watford – Travel Survey Summary 9 December 2019