Since the Workplace Travel Grants were launched in October 2020, 41 organisations have been awarded funding following a successful application, delivering schemes at 46 sites and providing 12980 employees with access to sustainable travel facilities.
The funding that has been awarded has been used in the following ways to support sustainable travel to and from the workplace:
Alderman Tooling Ltd
Total Grant Awarded: £15,929.03 Total Employer Contribution: £12,188.97
Alderman Tooling Ltd is a manufacturing company based at Bell Close in Plympton specialise in the contract manufacturing of metal parts and assemblies. Aldermans is accredited with ISO14001:2015 Environmental Management System, is working towards the goal of Net Zero Carbon goals, and are aiming to cumulatively reduce our carbon impact year on year.
To support this the company identified the need to positively influence the travel behaviour of their employees by providing facilities on site and were able to install EV Charge Points, secure cycle parking, lockers and shower/changing facilities following their successful grant application.
Karen Friendship, Alderman Tooling Ltd Managing Director, commented that:
“Taking care of our health and the environment go hand in hand… We are extremely pleased to have had our grant application accepted. As a business we’re always keen to be forward thinking and make a difference for our staff and community wherever we can. This grant provides a welcome boost to help us in our plans to promote a healthier workforce and a more sustainable approach to travel.”
Nash & Co Solicitors LLP
Total Grant Awarded: £5,508.97 Total Employer Contribution: £10,473.94
Nash & Co have a high number of staff who live between 2 or 5 miles from the office and who have indicated they would like to be able to either walk, run or cycle to and from work. However, the lack of suitable on-site cycle parking, showers, and changing facilities is discouraging these staff from doing so.
The company was also keen to encourage staff who currently use cars and travel from some distance away to think of purchasing a hybrid or fully electric car. With this in mind, and to also provide a level of future proofing at their site on Ebrington Street, Nash & Co included EV Charging Points as part of a package of sustainable travel measures. This approach would ensure that staff who wanted to be able to move away from car use were supported to do so while allowing those who needed to drive to switch to an electric vehicle.
The grant funding secured has enabled Nash & Co. to install new shower/changing facilities, 5 cycle parking spaces and 5 EV Charging Points. Total grant awarded: £5,508.97
Jon Loney, Managing Partner at Nash & Co Solicitors LLP said that:
“We’re delighted to have been given a grant from Plymouth City Council’s Travel To Work scheme. We’ll be investing the money in our own infrastructure, enabling us to offer more sustainable ways for our staff to travel to and from work. It’s vital that businesses do whatever they can to reduce any negative impacts on the environment. By working with the Council, and using this grant funding, we can carry on the work that we started some time ago as a firm. We would strongly encourage other businesses in the City to apply for the Workplace Travel Grants and offer more sustainable travel solutions to their staff.”
YMCA Plymouth
Total Grant Awarded: £25,000 Total Employer Contribution: £38,700
Managers at YMCA Plymouth identified a need to upgrade their existing staff shower and changing facilities to encourage more sustainable travel to the site on Honicknowle Lane following feedback from staff. Staff had raised that the poor quality of the facilities discouraged them from using them after either walking or cycling to work.
The funding secured allowed for modern showers and a changing/drying area to be provided on-site.
Tom Lavis, YMCA Plymouth Chief Executive, commented:
"We are delighted to receive this support from Plymouth City Council towards developing our new staff showers and changing facilities. As a charity that promotes good health & wellbeing, we know the benefits this will bring to our staff; from better health to improved mental wellbeing, and as a result better productivity for us as a business."
Staff from YMCA Plymouth were delighted with the new facilities saying:
"Loving the new lockers, I can now ride to work knowing I have somewhere safe to stick my gear... I use to shove them under my desk …"
"What a difference a year makes, the facilities are excellent! New toilets, changing areas and lockers, we feel very spoilt…”
Devon and Plymouth Chamber of Commerce
Total Grant Awarded: £4,057.50 Total Employer Contribution: £2,574.50
The Chamber of Commerce are based at offices on Derriford Business Park on Brest Road. Through a partnership with a car club provider the Chamber have been able to introduce a hybrid pool car. The vehicle is available for staff to use and can also be booked by members of the public as well.
To be able to allow members of staff and visitors who either do not drive or do not want to drive to the offices, the Chamber applied for grant funding to support the provision of secure cycle parking on-site. They also applied for funding to allow EV Charging Points to be installed so that staff and visitors who either already drive or intend to purchase an electric vehicle have access to a charging facility.
A successful grant application has enabled the Chamber to provide a secure cycle lockers as well as a 3 Phase EV Charge Point.
Nick Byrne, International Trade Manager, at the Chamber stated that:
"The work place travel grant has allowed the Devon & Plymouth Chamber of Commerce to meet the needs of our staff and local Plymouth business visitors for a secure bicycle storage at our offices at Derriford. Made and installed by Plympton based manufacturer Bikeaway the units have become an invaluable resource for the Chamber of Commerce to increase the use of sustainable transportation to and from our offices."
Ryearch Ltd
Secured £2,195.18 of funding for an EV charging point at their Langage site which will “allow Ryearch to not only offer greater flexibility for vehicle choice for work vehicles and staff private vehicle but also allow us to offer charging facilities to visitors if required.’’
Tulgey Woods Sanctuary CIC
Awarded £2,028.91 in funding towards the cost of providing secure cycle parking allow “volunteers and visitors to walk or cycle to our woods. This is much better for the environment… We would like to thank Andrew and the team for their support. It means a great deal to our project.”
Other successful applications were received from the following organisations:
Service Design Solution
Secured £6,549.68 towards the cost of delivering a package of facilities made up of EV charge points, shower facilities and a pool bike for staff use.
Health Mind Body Ltd
Received a grant of £1,895.18 for pool bikes for their staff to use for commuting and whilst at work.
Primal Europe
Received funding of £1,650.00 for a staff pool bike for employees to trial cycling to work.
Devon and Cornwall Police
Received £2,295.00 for improved cycle parking facilities at Charles Cross Police Station.
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
Awarded £9,994.00 to increase and update the number of pool bikes available for staff to use for commuting to and from work.
Jasper LM Ltd (Jack n Mols)
Received funding of £2,358.00 to provide pool bikes for staff to use for the commute to work and for deliveries
The Bottling Plant Ltd
Received a grant of £2,644.97 towards the cost of providing shower facilities for staff at their location on Southside Street
Holberton School
Secured a grant of £371.15 towards the provision of new lockers for staff.