§ Mr. WhiteheadTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what consideration he has given to the applicability to the United Kingdom of Californian State Ordinance XV requiring large employers to make and publish travel-to-work plans for their employees which minimise car use; and if he will make a statement. [843]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe Government is keen to encourage employers from both the public and private sector to find ways of reducing the impact on the environment of their employees' travel patterns, particularly their commuting journeys. One of the ways in which employers can do this is to introduce company travel plans for their employees. A growing number of organisations in the UK have already successfully implemented programmes of this nature, for example, Boots, BAA and Nottinghamshire County Council. A travel plan will soon be introduced at Stockley Park. Many local authorities are working with businesses to develop similar measures as part of their TravelWise programmes. The Government will attach a high priority 55W to promoting the introduction of more company travel plans. To this end, we have been working with Transport 2000 on their document, "Changing Journeys to Work: an employers' guide to green commuting plans" which we are helping to launch on 4 June 1997.