Making Travel Plans Work: Evidence from the NHS (in England)

1
Making Travel Plans Work Evidence from the NHS
(in England)

• Dr Adrian Davis
• Transport and Health Consultant
• adrian.davis_at_phonecoop.coop
• 0117 9245 603

2
How is the patient? ?

• The majority of NHS Trusts in England have yet to
  develop travel plans
• Planning requirement - key to NHS action
• Some pioneers
• Many chronic contemplators
• Modest evidence of support promotion for travel
  planning within NHS low priority vis-à-vis
  health care and waiting lists
• Re-organisation 2006-07 Commissioning a
  patient-led NHS

3
Main Diagnosis

• History of laissez-faire approach/free for all
• Lack of attention to NHS lifestyle and
  corporate citizenship role
• Inefficient and inequitable use of scarce
  resources
• Trust failing to meet NHS policy commitments and
  so to promote health through transport
• Yet signs that travel plan work is being
  assimilated partly due to planning controls

4
Examples of Good Practice at Large Acute NHS Sites

• Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals
• Nottingham City Hospital
• Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital

5
Why do we need a Travel Plan ?

• Because we ought to
• Health NHS leading by example
• Culture change - pressure groups
• Environment - congestion, emissions
• Because we have to
• National Policy - PPG13 Transport Policy
• NHS - Estatecode / Estate Strategy
• Planning permission for development

6
Why did we need a Travel Plan?

• Plan to expand site ( 1400 staff 250 beds
  20,000 inpatients 150,000 outpatients 50,000
  other treatment episodes)
• 2400 cars chasing 2000 spaces lack of funds to
  build permitted new ones (JR Hospital)
• Everyone says we have a problemoh and the simple
  answer is a big new multi-storey car park
• Without a Travel Plan we would not get planning
  permission for hospital relocation development

7
Travel Plan strategic objectives

• Manage car parking and commuting

Improve access for alternative modes
Develop and promote alternatives

• Satisfy Planning Authority - maintain healthcare
  services with limit of 1680 staff spaces (JRH)
  prevent spill-over
• Parking on-site only for those that need it..
• Attractive alternatives to car for the others.

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Measures implemented

• Travel Zone based on level of bus services
• Better buses access
• Permits based on need not status in theory End
  to free unrestricted parking
• Annual renewal _at_ 60 parking permit (90 _at_ 30K
  )
• Subsidised bus tickets
• More for Cyclists Peds.
• Information and publicity
• Car share system

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What have been the benefits?
Trust granted planning permissions

• Modal shift 2000 2002 2005
• Single occupant car 58 ? 54 ?
  52
• Car share / passenger 8 ? 9 ?
  9
• Bus / PR 8 ? 10 ? 12
• Walk 13 ? 14 ? 14
• Cycle 12 ? 12 ? 13

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Underlying Factors for success

• Widespread acceptance of a problem
• Recognition that it means life-style shift
• External force (others are really to blame)
• Agreement that its least worst way forward
• Real alternatives and funding for them
• Flexibility, adaptability (without giving in)
• Set an example (do what you preach)

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Making it work information communication

• Travel Surveys
• Management / staff-side working party
• Staff newsletter, payslips
• On The Move transport news
• Open meetings (road shows)
• Email, intranet
• ? dont be dogmatic or crusading

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What has worked or will

• More buses, bigger ticket discounts tighter
  parking restrictions pool cars and bikes
• Realistic Parking charge (according to income)
• Parking restrictions existing buses
  discounted tickets inter-site vehicles
• Bonus (parking cash out) for choosing
  alternatives (C 200 p.a.)
• Transport information, marketing, publicity etc.
• Cycle routes (safe / traffic free) secure
  parking / storage
• Assisted cycle purchase
• Car sharing (unless theres a financial incentive
  priority parking)
• Showers changing (unless local to work station
  secure lockers)
• BUG, cyclists breakfasts etc unless part of
  continuing campaign

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Nottingham City Hospital

• 1997 72 by car (alone) 2000 55
• 1997 2 car (share) 2000 11
• 1997 11 by bus 2000 19
• 1993 13 walk/cycle 2000 13
• Ring fencing of car parking charges
• Communication programme with staff
• Investment in cycle infrastructure
• Car sharing scheme
• Improved public transport provision and
  information (inc on site buses)
• Park and Ride

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• Installed additional cycle lockers (now 120)
• Introduction of Link 4 Free internal bus service
  - 9 stop points on site services the 2 major
  roads on edge of site
• Introduction of Medilink free bus service -
  linking with QMC university hospital
• 19,000 showering facilities upgrade
• Purchase of LED self illuminating speed signs
• Introduction of Bicycle Leasing Scheme
• Introduction of Car Sharing Scheme
• 4 on site touch screen travel information kiosks
• Subsidised travel tickets for staff (for use on
  all buses, trains and tram)

15

• 1996 1800 parking permit holders
• Concentrating and expanding service onto single
  site
• 1997 salary-related parking permits excluding
  most day-time staff living within city boundary
• Ring-fenced parking revenue
• Discounted bus fares and on-site service by 2000
• Dedicated Park and Ride
• Cycle infrastructure improvements
• 2003 EU Optimum project funding for travel bureau
  and on-line travel information www.optimum2.org/

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Objections to P R

• Staff will leave and work somewhere where they
  can park
• We need our cars on site so that we have
  somewhere to go in lunch hour
• We will get wet walking to and from the bus
  nowhere to put dripping coats
• I bet managers will never use it
• Cars will be vandalised
• In the wrong place
• Buses will be too infrequent, overcrowded, late,
  take too long, drivers will be rude etc

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Outcomes

• Reduction by 500 in permits issued to staff since
  1997/98 - down to 1300
• Gradual increase in PR uptake
• Since PR, pay and display car parks always have
  some capacity
• Staff parking still over-subscribed
• More informal car share
• Car use down from 72 in 1996 to 60 in 2004
• Service bus stable at 7 but further 7 now PR

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Travel Plan key elements

• Financial incentives
• Financial disincentives
• Parking restraint
• Travel Plan Coordinator
• Emphasis on widening travel plan choice
  (accessibility)
• Clear communication strategy (widely distributed
  and transparent)
• Board level engagement working group travel
  plan coordinator (not a junior)

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Travel Plan Costs to Employers

• Example of indicative costs
• Travel Coordinator Salary on costs 40K
• Surveys 5K
• Publicity and promotions 5-15K
• Incentives to staff for 100 staff 50K
• Average annual running cost per employee 47
• Annual running cost of surface-level car parking
  space 300-500
• Source Department for Transport, 2002 Making
  Travel Plans Work