The Highways Agency is working in partnership with Tyne and Wear local
authorities and Tyne and Wear Smarter Choices to deliver the event.
Businesses will be able to get first-hand advice on sustainable travel
planning at the conference, to be held in St James' Park, Newcastle on
Thursday 16 October between 9.30am and 1pm. The event will demonstrate to
businesses how sustainable travel planning can help them, their workers and
the planet.
The half-day conference aims to demonstrate to businesses in Tyne and Wear,
the benefits of travel planning in terms of the financial and environmental
rewards. Delegates will be provided with free tailor-made advice on
sustainable travel measures that companies can easily and practically
implement.
This event will also see the launch of the Tyne and Wear Travel Plan
Network. The Network will act as a mechanism for passing on free travel
planning information and specialist advice from the Tyne and Wear Smarter
Choices team. Delegates will be invited to sign up to the Network, which is
available to all businesses in Tyne and Wear.
Graham Riley, Influencing Regional Programme Manager for the Highways
Agency said "Developing sustainable travel plans to get people to and from
work and goods and services in and out of companies is key to sustainable
economic growth. By developing such plans we are working positively to
release capacity on our roads which allows for future economic development.
"We realise that changing driver behaviour, and getting workable travel
plans will take time but we are committed to move ahead with companies
across the region to do this.
"The event at St James' Park is an important way we can start this process
and we hope that companies from around the region will come and tap into
the expertise on hand to find out how they can start to develop their own
travel plans."
The programme of private and public sector speakers at the event will
include:
- The Tyne and Wear Smarter Choices Agenda presented by the Tyne and
Wear Smarter Choices team
- The Business Benefits of Travel Planning presented by Lynn
Cramman, Travel Plan Coordinator for Cobalt Business Park, North Tyneside
- Business Travel Planning – The results presented by David
Malone, Regional Travel Plan Coordinator for Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital
Foundation Trust
- The reinvigoration of the Tyne and Wear Metro and what it can mean for
the region presented by Tony Quinn of Nexus.
In addition the event will include an exhibition area with representatives
and information on hand from organisations such as:
- ACT Travelwise
- The Highways Agency
- Carplus
- Energy Savings Trust
- Tyneside Travel Partnership
- Smarter Choices Team
- Tyne and Wear Cycling Officers
- Workwise
- ITrace
- Sustrans.
