Active Travel Kit [Template]

Transcription

1 [Insert name of workplace here] Active Travel Kit [Template] An initiative of the Gold Coast Physical Activity Alliance For more free and low cost activities: Follow us:

2 Table of contents: Acknowledgements... 3 Walking and cycling... 4 How long will it take to actively travel to your workplace?... 4 Some tips on including these modes in your commute to work... 4 Journey planning... 5 End of trip facilities... 5 Map location of active travel facilities... 6 Active Travel Hints and Tips... 7 Public Transport... 8 Journey Planning... 8 Carpooling Park n ride Active travel - meetings/conferences Helpful websites and resources APPENDIX A (your backpack checklist) APPENDIX B ( getting here active travel handout for meetings) APPENDIX C (employers - why support active travel in the workplace?) APPENDIX D (employees - why choose active travel?) APPENDIX E (purchasing end of trip facilities) Page 2 of 16

3 Acknowledgements The Gold Coast Public Health Unit, with support from TravelSmart and the Gold Coast City Council, has developed this TravelSmart transport kit as a guide on how to travel to and from work using sustainable modes of transport such as walking, cycling, public transport and carpooling. Acknowledgement is given to the Department of Transport and Main Roads TravelSmart Program for providing the template for the development of this Transport Kit. The TravelSmart Program encourages the reduction in car travel, and promotes the use of public and active transport options, such as walking, cycling, public transport and carpooling. The benefits include reduced congestion and improved social, physical, financial and environmental health for Queenslanders. For more information on the TravelSmart Program, visit Acknowledgment is also given to the Active Travel Program for the time, commitment and support contributed towards the development of this resource. The Active Travel Program encourages all Gold Coast residents and visitors to 'enjoy the way they move' and make Active Travel choices as part of their everyday lives. For more information on the Active Travel Program, visit: Further Information Gold Coast Public Health Unit, Southern Regional Services, Division of the Chief Health Officer, Level 1, 14 Edgewater Court, ROBINA QLD PO Box 4256, Robina Town Centre, QLD GCPHU@health.qld.gov.au, Phone: (07) Disclaimer: The materials presented in this kit are distributed by the Department of Transport and Main Roads for and on behalf of the State of Queensland as an information source only. The materials are provided solely on the basis that users will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representation statements and information. The department makes no statements, representations or warranties about the accuracy or completeness of, and you should not rely on, any information contained in this kit. The Department of Transport and Main Roads disclaims all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages and costs which you might incur as a result of the information contained in this kit being inaccurate or incomplete in any way. Page 3 of 16

4 Walking and cycling Walking and cycling to work is a great way to reduce stress, improve fitness levels and save money! Did you know? Green A balloon can hold about 50 grams of greenhouse gas cycling 10 km each way to work would save about 1500 kg (3000 balloons) of greenhouse gas emissions each year! Health cycling or walking to work can help you get your recommended 30 minutes of activity per day, particularly if you are in sedentary employment Cost savings cycling 10 km each way to work each day will save about $1700 per year in transport costs. Bicycle parking is also usually free, easily accessible and more convenient than car parking! Time savings if you re travelling less than 5 kilometres during peak hour, riding your bike will generally be faster than any other mode of travel! How long will it take to actively travel to your workplace? Walk Walking speed 10 mins 20 mins 30 mins Slow 0.6km 1.2km 1.8km Medium 0.9km 1.8km 2.7km Fast 1.1km 2.2km 3.3km Cycle Cycling speed 5km 10km 15km Slow (travelling at 15km/h) 20 minutes 40 minutes 60 minutes Medium (travelling at 20km/h) 15 minutes 30 minutes 45 minutes Fast (travelling at 25km/h) 12 minutes 24 minutes 36 minutes Some tips on including these modes in your commute to work Try walking to and from work one day a week it s a great way to unwind after work and get some exercise. If you live too far from your work to walk or cycle the whole way, try using public transport and walking part of the journey to work, or put your bike in the car and cycle from a park closer to work. Page 4 of 16

5 Journey planning A series of local bikeways maps are available for download at the GCCC website: To help you plan your route to work, you can use sites such as Map my ride Map my walk or Walk Score Search for maps, plan your route of travel and calculate travel distances. End of trip facilities End of trip facilities are convenient facilities for those who cycle, walk or jog to work to, for example, shower, change, store their possessions and park their bikes. [insert name of workplace] provides the following walking and cycling end of trip facilities: Workplace Facilities Additional information [insert name of workplace] Bike Parking: [insert location of bike racks/cages] Showers and change facilities: [insert location of showers/lockers/change rooms] Public Transport: [insert additional public transport information] For timetable information, phone Translink on or visit the Translink website at [insert additional information employees will need to know] Page 5 of 16

6 Map location of active travel facilities [insert a plan of your workplace with active travel facilities locations mapped] Page 6 of 16

7 Active Travel Hints and Tips The following are some handy hints and tips to assist in making your active travel experience a safe and enjoyable one Read up on cycling safety rules. you will feel safer and more confident on the road Have a look at the weather forecast the day before Stay sun safe on your travels sunscreen, sunglasses, shirt and hat! Drop your clothes at work ahead of time, or carry them to work in a back pack! Use the backpack checklist (appendix A) to make sure you pack everything you need for work Keep a spare set of clothes/uniform and shoes at the workplace in case you forget to bring an item to work Keep a towel and toiletries bag at work so you don t have to carry it back and forth. A green shopping bag is a good size to keep your toiletries etc at work and carry your things to and from the showers Check with your colleagues/manager to identify a place to dry your clothes and setup a small clothes rack there. For personal items you can use a laundry bag to disguise items on the line Keep a pair of thongs at work to wear in the showers If a towel is difficult to carry or dry a handtowel can be just as effective If you don t want to carry a back pack whilst on the bike, there are other options for storage such as a front or back basket or panniers If cycling, wear bright coloured clothing and install safety lights on the front and back of your bike to increase your visibility You might also need clear protective glasses if you need to ride in fading light or at night Do not ride with headphones as they distract your concentration and prevent you from hearing other vehicles and road users Carry a repair kit and learn how to change a tyre. GCCC sometimes run bike maintenance workshops which show you how to clean your bike, repair punctures, adjust your brakes and maintain the chain. To find out dates and times of workshops contact the Active Travel team by activetravel@goldcoast.qld.gov.au or phone (07) Once at the office, complete your trip by taking the stairs instead of the elevator! Page 7 of 16

8 Public Transport Using public transport can be an easy and efficient way to get to and from work! Did you know? That public transport has a number of benefits including: Reduces congestion Reduces greenhouse gas emissions as both trains and buses produce far less greenhouse gasses per person than a car Provides health benefits such as relaxation (reading or listening to music) and/or incidental physical activity (the walk to and from your stop or station can contribute to 30 minutes a day of physical activity recommended for adults by health experts) instead of fighting peak hour traffic Time savings - especially when the roads are gridlocked Journey Planning For timetable information and the TransLink Journey Planner function, phone Translink on or visit the Translink website How to use the TransLink Journey Planner Using the TransLink Journey Planner is a quick and easy way to plan your public transport journey. Below are some hints on how to use the Journey Planner. 1. Under From enter the street number and name plus the Suburb name that you are departing from. 2. Under To enter the street number and name plus the Suburb name where you are travelling to. 3. Enter in the day you plan to travel and the time you wish to depart. By selecting More options you can choose leave after or arrive by times. Alternatively you can select the first of the day or the last of the day. 4. The Journey Planner will automatically search for a route that uses any service, but if you prefer, you can choose to search via your choice of bus, train or ferry. 5. You can choose how far you prefer to walk, your walking speed, and prioritize the search results according to quickest journeys, least walking, least transfers or no transfers. 6. The results page shows the various trip options that have been selected by the system according to your preferences. (Refer to the following example of the enquiry results). 7. Scroll down to look at the various options generated to choose your preferred trip. 8. You can choose to view the full details of all the options provided or select journey details for specific options. 9. You can refine your search according to your maximum walking distance and priorities. 10. From the results page you can also change your journey details, plan Page 8 of 16

9 your return journey or look at a new journey. For further information on how to use the TransLink Journey Planner visit: The following is an example of the results generated from the Translink Journey Planner. Page 9 of 16

10 Carpooling Carpooling involves people sharing a car to a destination with the aim of reducing travel costs, fuel use, pollution and traffic congestion. It can be promoted as a TravelSmart alternative for staff who live a long way from work and for whom there is no practical alternative to using a car. Park n ride Park n ride facilities allow commuters to park near a busway or train station and use their bike, feet or public transport to complete their journey without traffic hassles and the high cost of petrol and parking. For more information about the services and facilities (bike racks and lockers) available at train stations near you, simply go to: For more information on bike lockers at train stations near you simply go to: or Call Queensland Rail on For information on bus station locker availability and bookings call TransLink on or bikelockerqueries@translink.com.au. Active travel - meetings/conferences There may be occasions where your organisation will have external participants meeting at your workplace. A getting here PDF can be a useful tool to attach to meeting agendas to encourage participants (internal and external) to actively travel. Appendix B contains a template which can be altered to suit your workplace. Page 10 of 16

11 Helpful websites and resources TransLink journey planner, maps, and timetables for bus, and train services Queensland Rail Park n ride facilities GCCC Active Travel active travel activities, incentives, resources and tips GCCC Cycling and Bikeways bikeways maps for download Bicycle Queensland insurance TravelSmart is a voluntary behaviour change program that encourages people to use sustainable travel modes such as public transport, walking, cycling and carpooling rather than single occupancy travel in a car Qconnect provides information on improved public transport services and greater connectivity and accessibility of services throughout regional, rural and remote Queensland Go Cards Purchase or top up a Go Card Get Active Gold Coast website find an activity or sport near you. Free and low cost activities available Map my Ride - Search bike maps in your area, track cycling workouts in an online bike training log and track your favourite biking routes Map my Walk - Search walking maps or use the walking route planner to track your walking distance Endomondo - Download Endomondo onto your phone and track your running, cycling and other activities Walk Score map your commute from home to work to see how walkable your commute is and to obtain transit times Cycle Safety - safety tips for cyclists Bike User Guide: The bike user guide lists cycling-related information on a variety of subjects (including choosing a bike and helmet) Page 11 of 16

12 APPENDIX A (your backpack checklist) Consider Active Travel Your backpack checklist It is recommended you pack your bag the night before. Consider packing: Clothes/uniform (remember your shoes!) Water bottle Toiletries and towel (if these are not already at the workplace) Mobile phone (in case of emergency) Wallet House and work keys Identification Page 12 of 16

13 APPENDIX B ( getting here active travel handout for meetings) Consider Active Travel [Insert name of workplace here] When choosing your travel mode to [insert name of organisation here], why not consider active travel? Public Transport: [Insert specific public transport information here] For timetable information, phone Translink on or visit the Translink website at End of trip facilities if you choose to walk or ride: Bike parking: [Insert locations and additional information on bike parking/cages] Showers and changing areas: [Insert locations and additional information on showers/lockers/change rooms] [insert map of workplace which shows where these active travel facilities are located] If you are not able to consider the active travel options, parking is available, but for one last consideration, can you car pool? Page 13 of 16

14 APPENDIX C (employers - why support active travel in the workplace?) Consider Active Travel Employers: why support active travel in your workplace? Most adults spend half their waking hours at work, so actively travelling to work is a practical way for many adults to become more active. The benefits: Active and healthy workplaces have been proven to benefit organisations: Reduce: Staff turnover Absenteeism Injuries/accidents Disabilities Compensation costs Parking needs Improve: Staff morale Concentration Productivity Corporate image Recruitment image Employer/employee relationships Comparison of the Australian worker: Employee health should be viewed as an investment and not an expense! Unhealthy: Healthy: 18 days sick leave annually 2 days sick leave annually Performance 3.7 out of 10 Performance 8.5 out of effective hours worked per month 143 effective hours worked per month Reference: Medibank Private (2005), 'The health of Australia's workforce', viewed 30 May 2011, < Support your employees to actively travel - promote the benefits and make it the easy travel option. Provide active travel facilities (bike racks, drying racks showers, change rooms lockers etc) for your workplace. This small investment will yield a big return! Page 14 of 16

15 APPENDIX D (employees - why choose active travel?) Consider Active Travel Employees: why choose active travel? Swap the car for your bike or feet today and start experiencing the benefits of active travel! Did you know? Green A balloon can hold about 50 grams of greenhouse gas cycling 10 km each way to work would save about 1500 kg (3000 balloons) of greenhouse gas emissions each year! Health cycling or walking to work can help you get your recommended 30 minutes of activity per day, particularly if you are in sedentary employment Cost savings cycling 10 km each way to work each day will save about $1700 per year in transport costs. Bicycle parking is also usually free, easily accessible and more convenient than car parking! Time savings if you re travelling less than 5 kilometres during peak hour, riding your bike will generally be faster than any other mode of travel! Some tips on including these modes in your commute to work include: Try walking to and from work one day a week it s a great way to unwind after work and get some exercise. If you live too far from your work to walk or cycle the whole way, try using public transport and walking part of the journey to work, or put your bike in the car and cycle from a park closer to work. A series of local bikeways maps are available for download at the GCCC website: To help you plan your route to work, you can use sites such as Map my ride Map my walk or Walk Score Search for maps, plan your route of travel and calculate travel distances. Page 15 of 16

16 APPENDIX E (purchasing end of trip facilities) Consider Active Travel Purchasing end of trip facilities Support your employees to actively travel - make it the easy travel option Here are a couple of items (with rough pricing) that would support active travellers in your workplace. Item Approximate price Lockers 4 door locker (dimensions: 306 (W) x 457 (D) x 1800 (H) mm) ~ $ door locker (dimensions: 306 (W) x 457 (D) x 1800 (H) mm) ~ $ door locker (dimensions: 306 (W) x 457 (D) x 1800 (H) mm) ~ $ Bike storage/stands/racks (price will depend on the materials used, number of bike spots and the function of the rack) ~ $80 - $300 Drying racks ~ $ $50.00 Page 16 of 16