Lyons Davidson’s history of promoting sustainable travel spans many years, so it is no surprise that 19% of our Bristol staff participated in the 2017 South West Big Commuting challenge.
The challenge focused on replacing single-occupancy vehicle trips with alternative, more sustainable methods. Active travel and public transport options are important but car sharing, virtual meetings and home working have just as much impact towards sustainable travel.
Our participants recorded 2, 989 journeys with a total of 27,943 miles travelled, which saw us hold second position in our size category on the leader board throughout the challenge. Around 60% of journeys recorded were by walking, running or cycling and 47% were by public or shared transport, which is excellent for health and for reducing the amount of carbon we produce. In fact, we saved 951kg of CO2 through switching to less carbon-intensive travel modes and collectively around £1,199 was saved in fuel or travel costs.
We are always seeking ways to improve our environmental performance and this is reflected in our environmental objectives to minimise carbon emissions and reduce the environmental impact associated with our business related travel and commuting. Some ways we make it easier for staff to travel sustainably are our bicycle storage and showering facilities at most of our offices, a bikes for work scheme, an annual travel pass scheme, and we make it as easy as possible for staff to implement our Train First policy by using the Trainline booking app.
Well done to everyone who took part in the challenge. Your help and support gives others the confidence that they too can switch to greener and more sustainable modes of travel.
For more information on any of the issues raised in this article or for more information on Lyons Davidson’s environmental policies and credentials, please contact Environmental Management Systems co-ordinator Clive Croal on 0117 394 5060.
