Smarter Travel Choices
Workplaces
The National Transport Authority operates the Smarter Travel Workplaces programme on behalf of the Department of Transport, supporting large employers to encourage more sustainable commuting and travel choices amongst their staff. At the end of 2010, 77 workplaces were engaged in the scheme, involving some 132,000 staff. Partners in the programme include ESB, Eirgrid, Microsoft, Pfizer, Savills, University College Galway, Letterkenny General Hospital and Dublin Institute of Technology. The plan is to work with 100 of the largest employers in Ireland by mid-2012, involving 250,000 staff, and then to harness the learnings to extend the principle of workplace travel planning to workplaces across the country.
More information:
smartertravelworkplaces.ie
Read the full newsletter HERE
Smarter Travel Employers’ Workshop, 17th June 2010
Cyclize Your Campus Seminar, 17th September 2010
Schools
The National Transport Authority supports the Green-Schools Travel theme of An Taisce’s Green-Schools programme. The aim of the Travel theme is to encourage schools to promote sustainable modes of transport to and from school. Green-Schools Travel encourages pupils and parents to walk, cycle, Park n Stride, use public transport or car pool instead of using the private car on the school run. In September 2010, 650 schools and 152,000 pupils were involved in the programme. Results from schools that undertook the programme between 2008 and 2010 show a 27% decrease in car use. 43% increase in walking, and a 25% increase in cycling. The Green Schools travel theme is funded by the Department of Transport through the Authority.
More information: Green-Schools
And for schools not participating in the Green-Schools programme, we have produced this Toolkit for School Travel:
Full information HERE
Communities
In September and October 2009, the National Transport Authority piloted a residential travel plan with South Dublin County Council in Adamstown Strategic Development Zone, offering 800 households personal door-to-door advice, maps and trial bus and rail tickets. The pilot showed a shift in travel behaviour, with significant numbers switching to walking or using the bus. 59% of respondents reported increased use of sustainable modes. 35% of participants intend to continue using sustainable modes on a regular basis while 19% intend to continue on an occasional basis. A 33% reported a reduction in car usage during the pilot.
More information: Smarter Travel Adamstown
Carsharing
Carsharing is also known as lift-sharing, car-pooling or ride-sharing. Carsharing offers people a cost effective and a more sustainable way of travelling by car, where public transport, walking or cycling are not viable options. Carsharing can also ease destination parking pressure. A National Car Sharing database now available at carsharing.ie. This is an all-island service for the public, which is free of charge to use. The service can be used by any individual or group looking to promote carsharing, for example:
- To set up a private carsharing group for regular trips to a workplace, community group or sports club.
- To set up private carsharing groups for one-off trips, for example to music festivals, weddings or sporting fixtures.
- To generally seek or offer lifts.
By the end of July 2011, 31 large organisations had signed up to the car sharing database including Accenture, ESB, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, NUI Maynooth, NUI Galway and Waterford Institute of Technology.
The National Transport Authority launched carsharing.ie to the public in July 2011, in conjuction with Public and Commuter Transport Minister, Alan Kelly T.D. and Caleb Powell, President of the IRFU, Paddy McCaul, President of the FAI and Christy Cooney, President of the GAA. Further targeted promotion of the site is planned for 2011.
BAPTS: Boosting Advanced Public Transport Systems
The NTA are members of BAPTS European project.