3b Travel Plans and Walking

"We are all pedestrians, even if we own a car"
A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone", UK White Paper, DETR (July 1998)

For many people, walking is rarely considered as a travel option, yet it is cheap, healthy, flexible and is a realistic travel choice for short journeys. The scope for encouraging people to walk to work varies widely depending on the workplace location, type of site and characteristics of the workforce.

The main reasons that staff may be resistant to walking are:

• concern for personal safety
  
• concern for road safety
  
• lack of personal fitness
  
• disability or ill health
  
• weather
  
• the distance travelled or lack of a direct route
  
• type of work done by the employee (do they need to carry heavy equipment?)

In order to encourage walking amongst staff, it is important to emphasise the benefits, which include health, reduction in stress, cost and environmental friendliness.


Possible measures that you can consider include:

• working with the local council to ensure that routes from bus stops or rail stations are pedestrian friendly
  
• making sure the walkways within and around the site are direct, well-lit, well-signed and pedestrians can use pedestrian friendly crossing points
  
• providing recommended walking routes to and from the workplace
  
• providing facilities to store outdoor clothing
  
• introducing a disincentive to driving, for example excluding staff who live within a 15 minute walk of your site from applying for a car park pass

Choosing Measures
Travel Plans and Walking
Travel Plans and Cycling
Travelling by Bus
Travelling by Rail
Powered Two-Wheelers
Using Taxis
Car Sharings
Car Clubs
The Place of Cars
Car Park Management Strategy
Managing Business Travel
Changing the Way We Work
Travel Plans and Cleaner Fuels
Travel Plans and Deliveries