Address:   Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Castle Lane East, BH7 7DW

Please also refer to separate policies on Cycle to Work Scheme, Electric Bike Policy, Environmental Policy, Flexible Working, Vehicles, and Driving Policy, and to Staff Handbook and CSR Policy.

Introduction

Measures to promote sustainable travel and strategies are in place to promote the use of public transport, car sharing, walking, and cycling. The health benefits of walking and cycling to staff are promoted. Most staff live within the borough and already use sustainable travel to get to work.

Walking

Walking is the most sustainable method of travel, has a number of proven health benefits and is an important source of personal freedom. Walking is important for the vast majority of people, including those using public transport or without access to a car. It has the potential to play an important role in journeys to work, particularly for those living within two miles of their workplace. Walking is a form of active travel, which can offer a range of physical and psychological benefits to the individual.

Cycling

Cycling is cheap, offers reliable journey times and is environmentally friendly. Within the workplace, encouragement of cycling can lead to a healthier, more productive workforce.

A link has been identified between car growth and obesity, with both trends increasing at a similar rate between 1985 and 2000. Travel Plans offer substantial health benefits to individuals who are motivated to complete more journeys on foot or by bicycle. In turn, employers can benefit through increased productivity and reduced absence through illness.

The company operate the “Cycle to Work Scheme” enabling employees to purchase bicycles and associated safety equipment through salary sacrifice. This means that employees are able to receive Income Tax and National Insurance savings on the retail price of their chosen bike and safety equipment package. The scheme is administered through a salary sacrifice agreement and is run in accordance with the Government’s Green Travel Plan. Staff can select any model of bike up to a value of £300pa through independent bike shops taking part in this scheme, thereby providing business to the local community.

The Company also has a fleet of 4 electric bicycles which are currently lent to staff who do not have access to a bicycle at home. The Company are considering increasing this provision by a further 2 electric bicycles.

The Company encourage, support and facilitate cycling by:

• providing bicycle parking
• security – parking on site of the hospital
• bicycle loan/tax free scheme for employees
• discounts on bicycles and accessory purchases
• marketing of cycling (e.g. health aspects).

And offer the following subject to demand

• bicycle training
• bicycle buddy scheme
• cyclist events
• cyclist users group

Public Transport Access

Public transport remains important, particularly for journeys to work of more than 5 miles (8km). Its benefits include:

• No need to
• Traffic free routes (with rail or bus priority existing)
• Being able to relax, read or work (particularly beneficial for business travel)

Access to public transport is very good in the location of Bournemouth Hospital. Yellow Buses and More Buses provide regular services with bus stops at the front of the site.

The Company will encourage and support the use of public transport for commuting to Bournemouth Hospital by continuing with the following:

• Subsidised bus season tickets. The company are members of BTN (Bournemouth Travel Network)
• Bus season ticket loans

Bus stops closest to Bournemouth Hospital

On Site – Royal Bournemouth Hospital (Yellow Buses)

Bus no – 3 Bournemouth Hospital – Castlepoint – Charminster – Bournemouth Square Bus no – 2 Bournemouth Hospital – Boscombe – Springbourne – Bournemouth Square Bus no – 33 Bournemouth Hospital – Christchurch

On Site – Royal Bournemouth Hospital (More Buses)

Bus no – 14 Bournemouth Hospital – Castlepoint – Ensbury Park – East Howe – Kinson – West Howe – Wallisdown – Alderney – Poole

Bus no – 15 Bournemouth Hospital – Castlepoint – Moordown – Bournemouth University – Wallisdown – Parkstone – Poole

Bus no – X1 – Bournemouth Hospital – Christchurch – Highcliffe – New Milton – Lymington

Managing car use

It is important that car use and parking are managed.
Where the only option is to transport by vehicle, mapping of staff journeys is used to aid implementing car sharing. ‘Car Sharing’ refers to a situation where two or more people travel by car together, for all or part of the car trip.
These initiatives work and greatly reduce car use, benefiting the health and well-being of staff and generally increasing the quality of life with the added benefit of reducing the carbon footprint.
Expenses are not paid for students attending training for solo car use if they are able to share.
Limited parking is allowed on site, staff members pay monthly for a permit to park in the staff car park and we only have a certain number of these permits. Currently there is a waiting list and if you wish to be added, please see a member of staff in the office. Other parking can be found in Townsend (see map) or other surrounding roads outside of the hospital. There are pay and display car parks within the hospital but these are charged at the hospital rate.

Van use

The Company have an electric van for the maintenance team.

Accessibility

We don’t have any disabled parking facilities as hospital grounds but the hospital provide disabled parking spaces in all of their car parks