Fit 4 Business

Part funded by Department for Transport and Leicester City Council

Small business training is being delivered by b-inspired with Go Travel Solutions

Not short-term – through to March 2015

Key benefits

Making travel to and for work:

• Cheaper – reduction in the total costs of transport

• Easier – improvement in point to point journey times

• Greener – lower the emissions

Fit 4 Business is here to help your business achieve these goals. This includes grants of up to £5,000.

Programme – how it works

• Module 1 – TODAY - Presentation of key challenges, benefits, potential solutions, case studies and sources of help

• Module 2 – Detailed follow on engagement, with presentation of the full menu of measures to help your business, funding applications and action plan writing

Running a business

Running a business is never an easy task, every penny counts and every spending decision is scrutinized.

This training has been designed to help small businesses to appreciate the issues, the opportunities for savings and the support available locally to make informed travel decisions.

Saving money, saving time and conducting travel in an informed and sustainable way.

Why commuting and business travel matter

• The cost of travel – vehicle cost, fuel, insurance, staff time (wages), parking, maintenance

• The space of keeping a business fleet

• The environmental issues

• The time spent in traffic jams

• HR and reputational issues

Challenges are not getting easier

• Transport accessibility and connectivity are key ingredients for business success

• Difficulties in travelling represent barriers to your businesses trade

• Investment from the public sector is likely to be more limited if the future due to financial pressures

• There are physical constraints to

the highway network; a simple lack of

physical space to build into

Challenges today • Congestion – UK roads are among the busiest in Europe

• Emissions – each km travelled by a motor car releases an

average of 229g of CO2

• Cost – fuel price has risen 31% in the last 10 years. Workers spend an average of 23 days a year travelling to and from meetings. This costs UK businesses an estimated £17 billion a year (YouGov)

Head in the sand?

Business can ignore these issues and go backwards or…

Manage the need to travel

Consider if you need to travel

• Could staff tele/video/web conference instead?

• Is it possible for staff to work from home sometimes?

Avoiding unnecessary travel keeps cost down and saves your business money year after year.

Consider when staff travel

Try to avoid peak travel times if possible – especially the

am peak.

Funding opportunities

Grants of up to £5,000 are available through Fit 4 Business to help small

businesses in the programme area make changes to the way they travel.

Fit 4 Business Programme area

How could the grant be spent?

• Travel avoidance tools • Route planners

• Cycling facilities and promotion

• Walking facilities and promotion

• Public transport

Free services available to your workplace and staff

www.transportdirect.info route planning for cycling and public transport

www.walkit.com route planning for Leicester walkers

Entry to the cycle challenge

Sky ride events

Cycling locally • Salary sacrifice scheme

Offering staff savings of up to 40% off new bikes.

• Commuter cycle training

Free confidence training and led rides. Covers cycle maintenance.

• Cycle to Work guarantee scheme

Opportunity for employers to develop a package of measures to support cycling

Walking locally

• Walk doctor Workplace visits to businesses with advice on walking, one to

one consultations with individuals and advice on active lifestyles.

• Walkit.com (route planner) Customised walking routes mapped free point to point.

Public transport

• Transport Direct route planner

A free to use service which plans detailed routes point to point.

• Bus season tickets and Flexi

Reduced cost travel options verses daily ticket purchase. Discounts on many via Smarter Travel Leicester.

• Train travel

Discounted season tickets, carnet

tickets, megatrains and split ticketing.

The car • Electric charging and vehicles

Plugged in Places programme offers grants and support.

• Greener safer driving

Training to teach more fuel efficient driving techniques.

• Better to share

Car clubs, car sharing and lift sharing

The benefits of sustainable transport

Cheaper – reduce the true total costs of travel

Easier – lessen congestion and the need to travel

Greener – lower congestion and emissions

Help and support Fit 4 Business Local sustainable travel programme led by Leicester City Council and part funded by

Department of Transport. b-enterprising Runs ‘enterprise as a life’ offering workshops, group events and 1-2-1 coaching to individuals from Leicester city interested in self employment or business start up.

Smarter Travel Leicester Local sustainable travel business network offering travel discounts and expertise with 1st year free membership

Ways 2 Work Free membership of UK network to help businesses in both commuting and travel to be efficient.

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Help and support

Go Travel Solutions

www.go-travel-solutions.com

Tel: 0116 279 5122