Highways Agency

Benefits

Thinking about travel in a new way

"...every £1 spent on well designed *soft measures (now known as *smarter travel choices) could bring about £10 of benefit in reduced congestion alone..." - 'Smarter Choices - changing the way we travel' (Report commissioned by Department for Transport)

*smarter travel choices are the 'when', 'why' and 'how' we travel. For example you will save time if you make a habit of travelling outside busy times, and you will save money if you make a habit of travelling with friends or colleagues and sharing fuel costs.

Influencing Traffic Behaviour is about 'smartening up' people's travel habits. It's part of the Highways Agency's work to improve journeys in every way it can.

Advantages may include:

• a reduction in demand for car parking and cost to employers for providing parking spaces for staff;
• travel plans can offer a cheaper, more sustainable alternative to a conventional road improvement scheme, and one which is quicker to introduce;
• environmental benefits such as reduced pollution, improved air quality, less noise and the reduced impact on other national and global environmental problems such as global warming;
• a positive image for companies who are involved in sustainable activities e.g. travel plans (see 'environmental benefits' example above);
• improved accessibility to and from the work site for employees, visitors and deliveries;
• improved fuel economy resulting from better traffic flow;
• the local community can enjoy reduced congestion and journey times, and /or improved public transport services, a saving in energy and reduced overspill parking in residential areas;
• reduced number of road accidents caused by congestion;
• potential cost and time savings for staff if they for example, share the use of a car. (Some organisations grant staff financial incentives e.g. by offering staff payment in return for giving up their car parking space);
• aids sustainable travel; and
• benefits to staff from increased productivity generated by a healthier, less stressed, more motivated workforce and a general improvement in quality of life.

* 'Soft' measures (also known as 'Smarter travel choices' are techniques for influencing people's travel behaviour towards more sustainable options such as encouraging school, workplace and individualised travel planning. They also seek to improve public transport and promote services such as travel awareness campaigns, setting up websites for car share schemes, supporting car clubs and encouraging teleworking.