Welcome to the Erewash Active Travel pages!
On these pages, you will find information on:
The benefits of active travel
Top Tips for organisations
Active Travel Events in 2010
The Active Travel Pledge
Useful Links
Free Resources
What is Active Travel?
Active Travel means travelling actively for everyday journeys such as to work, whether by walking, cycling, jogging, or using public transport, if walking or cycling to the nearest stop. Active Travel is an easy and accessible way for people to build physical activity into their daily life.
Who or what is Active Travel Erewash?
Active Travel Erewash is run by Choose Cycling, a Cycling and Green Travel Social Enterprise, with extensive experience of promoting walking, cycling and travel planning.
Free Support
Over 2010, we are offering free support to organisations in Erewash who would like to encourage their workforce to actively travel to work.
Free advice and resources
We are offering Erewash workplaces free initial advice on setting up an active travel or travel plan scheme, and access to free resources on these webpages. Contact us on 01773 827450 or 07900 977990.
Free newsletter
Why not sign up to our free monthly newsletter? Just send an email to info@erewashactivetravel.co.uk.
Active Travel Events in 2010
February 23rd Erewash Partnership Health Event at Trent Lock
April 26th to 30th National Walk to Work Week!
May Active Travel Workshop in Erewash (TBC)
June 19th - 27th National BikeWeek and start of Erewash Workplace Cycle Challenge
June/ July National Change Your World campaign
August Cycling and walking events at Shipley Country Park (TBC)
The Benefits of Active Travel
For organisations
Is your car park full?
Would you like to save £1000 per employees per year? (reduced sickess absence)
Do you want to help tackle climate change?
A healthy workforce that actively travels to work everyday has been proven to have beneficial outcomes for organisations including:
Lower sickess absence rates
Higher staff morale
Increased productivity rates
Improved staff retention
Reduced car parking problems
Enhanced corporate reputation through investing in staff well-being and reducing local congestion
Meeting environmental targets, by cutting local pollution and congestion and tackling climate change.
For individuals
Feel fit and have fun. Walking and cycling is a great way to relax and have fun.
Stay Healthy. Regular physical activity such as walking or cycling can help protect you against heart disease, stroke, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, some cancers and poor mental health. Only 34% of adults are currently active enough. The target is 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
Spend your money on you instead of your car. Cycling is affordable, a fraction of the cost of maintaining, insuring and fuelling a car.
Feel less stressed. Regular walking and cycling reduces stress and anxiety.
Arrive fashionably early. Walking and cycling in towns is quicker than car travel, and there is no need for parking.
Be kind to the environment.2 kg of carbon are saved for every short journey by foot or by bike instead of by car.
Top tips for organisations on promoting active travel.
Start a Travel Plan (Visit our Travel Plan pages )
Start with a Travel Survey of your staff's travel patterns and a site audit, and then design your Travel Plan.
Find an enthusiastic member of staff who is able to take on a role promoting walking and cycling and get the support of management.
Find funding for your scheme. Derbyshire County Council can help with small capital grants. You could raise monies through car parking charges, or try the
Health, Work and Well-bring Challenge fund
Promote the benefits of walking and cycling using the intranet, posters, newsletters, payslips, internal events etc. Ask your staff to take the active travel pledge
Promote local safe walking and cycling routes by maps on site or on your intranet, and produce active travel directions for staff and customers
Join the government's Cycle To Work scheme, where staff can buy a bike for up to 40% off.
Annual evaluation and plan for next year...
Promote Walking (and jogging)
Supply maps of local walking routes on your site, or a link to an online walking route planner
Hold walking or jogging events at lunchtimes
Celebrate Walk to Work Week in April, 26th to 30th.
Give free pedometers to staff that pledge to walk to work once a week
Erewash has a comprehensive Network of local routes and footpaths, so it will be easy for staff to walk to work if they live within 2 miles of your workplace.
Promote Cycling
Supply maps of local cycling routes on your site, or a link to an online cycling planner
Join the governments Cycle to Work scheme, so staff can buy discounted bikes.
Do a Cycling Site Audit and install or upgrade cycle storage and showering and changing facilities. Derbyshire County Council offers a small capital grant to businesses. Contact the Sustainable Travel Officer richard.lovell@derbyshire.gov.uk, 01629 538192
Find a Cycling Champion in your workplace and set up a BUG (Bike User Group) or buddying system.
Celebrate BikeWeek (19th - 27th June 2010)with a fun Roadshow and free breakfasts for Cyclists
Hold Dr Bike sessions and bike maintenance workshops
Allow flexible working times and dress codes
Offer a Cycle Challenge to staff - free bike loans and cycle training if they agree to cycle in at least 2 days a week.
Erewash has a wonderful traffic-free trail, the Nutbrook Trail, which runs along the Erewash canal and links Long Eaton with Ilkeston and Shipley Country Park, making for a perfect cycling commute if staff live within 7 miles of work. Sustrans National Cycle Network Route 6 runs between Derby and Nottingham via Long Eaton - click here. And trails are getting better! A new traffic-free route, the Erewash Valley Trail, will be created in the next 2 years between Long Eaton and Langley Mill.
Promote Public Transport
Offer staff a subsidy on bus or train fares if they travel to work by public transport
Personal Travel Planning to all staff with personalised information on routes and timetables for their journey to work
Free Resources
Download our free resources below, including a guide to promoting active travel in the workplace and a promotional poster, local leaflets, cycling maps, and an Active Travel Quiz. We have 100 hard copies of the Active Travel Toolkit free to Erewash businesses. Contact us if you would like a copy
01773 827450
07900 977990
info@activetravelerewash.co.uk
The Active Travel Erewash Project is being funded by NHS Derbyshire County.
