Junction 25 Business Travel Network Launch Event 19 TH November 2009

Introduction Mike Ginger – Highways Agency (HA) Richard Adams – JMP (HA) Hannah Fountain – Somerset County Council (SCC) Reggie Tricker – SCC Thanks – Joanne Richmond – Alder King

Introduction

History 1989 – Blackbrook Business Park Envisaged 470 trips in/out when busy... Already exceeded by 30% Built out in phases + Deane Gate + Heron Gate & Hankridge dev’t.

Current overall car traffic Three peaks, morning (08:00 to 10:00), midday (12:00 to 14:00) and evening (17:00 to 18:00). AM peak = 2, 271 vehicles enter Blackbrook and Heron Gate sites

Taunton Development 2009 – 2016+

Impact of Development by 2026 Reproduced from Ordnance Survey digital map data © Crown copyright All rights reserved. License number Congestion rarely experienced Congestion in typical peak hours Congestion in typical peak and adjacent periods Congestion throughout day Strategically Significant Cities and Towns The M5 30% increase in cars on road by 2026 Time in traffic up 160%

Roles of HA and SCC Highways Agency Strategic Road Network –M5, A303 Somerset County Council Local roads and transport –walking, buses, cycles, A38, A358 etc.

Highways Agency

HA activity 2007/08: 20 Voluntary Travel Plans implemented nationwide Involving 1,100 companies –100,000 employees

Fewer journeys… Trips Saved (Peak Hr) Annual Benefit Benefit: Cost Ratio Cambridge Science Park 88£207k13:1 Whiteley – Hampshire 52£133k3.7:1 Northampton General Hospital A45 76£67k5.5:1 Value of benefit is heavily dependent on levels of congestion

Better information for travellers

Current travel movements

Movement: current trends Baseline traffic surveys 13 th October – all modes, vehicles, including buses and motorcycles, cyclist and pedestrians. Blackbrook Business Park and Riverside Development Area. Table shows the number of arrivals by each mode between the hours of and 19.00, including work trips and visitors to the site. Mode of travelArrivalsPercentage Bus350.26% Car driver (alone)10, % Car share2, % Motorcycle670.50% Bicycle % On foot % Total13,379100%

Movement: Heron Gate traffic Peak arrival hour between and vehicles entering; at the same time, 886 vehicles are departing. Steady PM activity. Profile matches nature of activities on site.

Movement: Blackbrook traffic ‘Typical’ business profile comprised of morning and evening peaks Mid-day increase – hotel and restaurants.

Movement: All Pedestrians Similar three ‘peak’ profile – reflects vehicular activities. Mid-day increase, suggestive use of leisure /restaurant facilities.

Movement: All Cyclists Morning – evening peaks, suggests cycle commuting. Noticeable lack of daytime activity.

Employers’ issues – examples: Proximity of train station – perceived walking distance Parking in nearby residential areas Public transport – lack of integrated timings between bus and rail Bus links focussed on town centre not railway station – leads to taxis being used

Site Audit 13/11/09 Positive: –Taunton is flat –Cycle paths and quiet side streets –Quite new bus vehicles –Good quality mainline train station –Range of facilities and services in walking distance of employees

Site Audit 13/11/09 Negative –Finding and following good cycling routes –No bus journey-time information from station –Buses late, full with elderly passengers, indirect and slow –Car traffic heavy through Taunton

Current accessibility Road Cycle Bus 30% of car traffic in Taunton in the morning travelling less than 2 miles (2005)

Park & Ride II

A Somerset County Council initiative to reduce congestion, pollution and traffic delay by helping people choose sustainable transport options Walking Cycling Public Transport Car Sharing Home Working Flexible Working

Cut travel costs Encourage healthy, active travel Reduce congestion and traffic delay Cut carbon emissions and traffic pollution Improve access for all Make Taunton a more pleasant place to live, work and travel

A business travel network

Junction 25 Economy 51 businesses –Office –Retail –Leisure/Accommodation

What’s in it for you? Accessibility and recruitment Active, healthy workforce Environmental management – EMAS links Retention and happiness Business travel savings (e.g. Vi-Re) Estate management – parking requirements

2009 research: key employer issues Personal / employee travel to and from work Ability for clients / suppliers to access them with relative ease (or indeed visit their clients and suppliers if within Somerset) –Few businesses were responsible for the ‘delivery and provision’ of goods and services – and therefore most comments were linked to the ‘accessibility’ to their business/ place of work. –For the majority of respondents (and employees in their businesses) ‘car’ was the favoured method of transport to/from work (‘cars give you independence’) – influenced by a number of factors Research conducted by Power Marketing for SCC, 23 rd September 2009

Network: Structure 1.Employers –All businesses in Heron Gate and Blackbrook 2.Project Team –Somerset County Council, Highways Agency 3.Steering Group –Project Team businesses + delivery agencies

Possible projects Management-level support –e.g. home working, competitions, networking Parking measures –e.g. car share and cycle parking Information on travel –e.g. journey plan website, mobile information Incentives –e.g. cycle servicing, events Alternative options –e.g. extended bus services, improved links, vi- re …Exemplify, enforce, educate, encourage, enable

Role of companies Communicate with employees Channel travel surveys Champion projects Participate with management of network … taking forward We need YOU!

The Magical Spider HR Facilities Management Property Management Estates Management IT Supplies Management Marketing Environmental Management

Next steps

Progress to date 13 th August – initial meeting with bosses 13 th October – traffic counts 13 th November – site audit 19 th November – today

Next steps Employee travel survey challenge and employer knowledgebase– late November/December Form travel plan Steering Group - first meeting 19 TH January 2010, 1pm –Set terms of reference –Set objectives Develop a joint travel plan Implement and Monitor

Possible Terms of Reference identify joint working  encourage and enable smarter travel options –e.g. promoting travel options forum for common transport issues updates and consultations on local transport issues and service proposals direct engagement with transport providers support from the Highways Agency and Somerset County Council Medium-term travel plan management strategy

Hope to see you again 1pm 19 January