Highways Agency

Foreword

"If we all can modify our travel habits, even slightly, we can start to make a difference"

We are all aware of the stress that traffic congestion can cause in our everyday personal and business lives. Poor air quality and noise problems caused by road traffic, affect our living environment. Research says it will get worse.

The Government has set clear aims for sustainable development. The Integrated Transport White Paper sets out the Government's vision of a transport system that supports sustainable development. To contribute to that vision, in common with all Government Departments and Executive Agencies, we have been asked to develop a "Green Travel Plan" for our staff to help us all to play our part.

The proposals in our "Green Travel Plan" will help us all to make more informed choices about how we travel - whether commuting to work or travelling on business. Also, these ideas should help to reduce the strain associated with travelling these days. We are aware from a recent Agency survey that getting to work is regarded as one of the major sources of stress.

We have chosen the old wartime slogan "Is your journey really necessary" to publicise green travel. We should ask this question each and every time we travel. If the answer is yes, we should look critically at the way in which we travel.

In order for any Green Travel Plan to work, it is important to have the commitment of all our staff. I, for my part, will be looking closely at my own travel arrangements and I am asking my Management Board colleagues to do the same. All staff are encouraged to enter fully into the spirit of green travel so that we can be seen to be making a valuable contribution to Green Travel within the Government. If we all can modify our travel habits, even slightly, we can start to make a difference.

Lawrie Haynes
March 1999