3o Travel Plans and Deliveries

A Travel Plan could consider not only the problems of getting employees to work and business travel, but could also address the effects that deliveries have on local traffic and the environment.

Several simple measures can be implemented to ensure that the delivery of goods is as efficient and environmentally sustainable as possible. These include:

• rationalising/centralising deliveries so that fewer trips are made
  
• encouraging the use of local suppliers in order to reduce the distance that the goods travel
  
• using suppliers who operate cleaner vehicles and/or have their drivers undertake driving efficiency training
  
• organising deliveries to be received outside of peak hours to reduce congestion
  
• managing deliveries made between sites to reduce the number of unnecessary trips, so reducing travel costs
  
• encouraging the use of e-mail and faxing to exchange information

Best Practice Example: Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust have introduced a Hospital Hopper service between its four main sites. The service operates specially modified vehicles to carry up to ten staff in addition to case notes, specimens and mail. The service operates to a 50 minute timetable throughout the day.

Staff are encouraged to arrange meetings around the pick up and delivery times in order to reduce staff travel by private car between the sites. The vehicles will be converted to run on Liquid Petroleum Gas.

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