ENC A
OFFICE OF PROCUREMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY
Travel Plan Working Group
Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 31st October 2011
Present: Jenny Bushrod Director of the Office of Procurement and Sustainability (Chair)
Geoff Bouch Head of Information & Communication Technology
Lesley Coulton Head of Sport & Recreation
Tom Davidson Vice President Students Union
Rachel Edwards Compensation & Benefits (Payroll) Advisor
Shaun English Enterprise Enabler and Travel Clerk, Finance
Craig Grabham Environmental Student Intern - OPS
Sarah Haywood E&FM Administration Manager
Andrew Merrington Senior PR Officer
Linda Morris Senior Contracts Manager
Andrew Seedhouse Centre for Sustainable Transport
Greg White Students Union
Attending: Nichola Gyseman Peter Brett
Dawn Wylie Peter Brett
Faith Coles Plymouth City Council
Jim Woffenden Plymouth City Council
Apologies: Chris Bunce Director of E&FM
Mark Cox Health & Fitness Manager
Rosie Dale Plymouth City Council
Clare Featherstone Finance Manager (PCMD)
Paul Lumley Energy and Environmental Manager
Jon Shaw Professor of Transport Geography
Lynn Tincler HR Services Manager
PREVIOUS MINUTES1.0 / Resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 26th May 2011 be approved.
INTRODUCTIONS
2.0 / The chair welcomed the group and members of the group introduced themselves.
MATTERS ARISING
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0 / Further to minute 2.0 – University’s Business travel arrangements
Noted that
1. JB reviewed the travel and subsistence rates.
2. There are currently 2 documents published; the Travel and Subsistence policy and the Transport policy rates of which goes onto the dispensation each year for HMRC.
3. There is also a separate policy for external examiners and governors.
4. The policies are published on the HR Community.
5. Following a recent staff announcement the following Business travel arrangements have been approved by OVC and JCC:
Travel and Subsistence Agreed Rates with effect from the 1 September 2011
The annual review of the University's Travel and Subsistence rates has now taken place. The new rates have been informed by a full review of University expenses and have taken into consideration HMRC guidance.
The expenses review investigated and analysed the current key trends of expenditure. In light of the findings there are three changes to the travel and subsistence rates:
1. The lunch rate has been reduced to £5.00
2. The tea rate has been removed
3. Car mileage rates have increased to 45p per mile, in line with the recent change in HMRC statutory mileage rates, (for the first 100 miles) and 25p per mile thereafter.
(Note: When using your own vehicle for business use, you should ensure that you have business use cover in your motor insurance policy)
All other rates have increased by the reported CPI for June 2011.
For employee overseas travel a new subsistence rate has been agreed as follows:
· Overseas travellers' incidental expenses allowance at £10 per night; for which no receipts are required. This is intended to cover personal phone calls home, laundry and ad hoc drinks/ expenses.
The full rates can be found at the Business Travel Unit on the Finance Community https://staff.plymouth.ac.uk//finance/travelunit/intranet.htm and Expenses on the HR Community https://staff.plymouth.ac.uk//perdev/exp/intranet.htm
Further to minute 3.3 – shower and changing facilities
Noted that
1. The facilities available were supply and demand and were used by members of the public.
2. The facilities would become difficult to sustain if they were offered for free.
3. Lockers for the yearly fee are only offered to cyclists.
4. Staff and students are able to use the shower facilities for a fee of £2.
5. It would be difficult to monitor the demand of the shower and locker facilities in order to compare with other businesses unless the facilities were being used in conjunction with Recreational membership.
6. The accidents stats had been the greater deterrent for those considering cycling to work.
7. Investigations had taken place to consider a suitable location for a cycle hub.
8. The hub would provide facilities for dedicated cycle showers; secure cycle lockers a cycle workshop and a cycle retail outfit for the wider city.
9. PU to consider a joined up initiative with the local bike shop, this would cost us less and provide us with sponsorship.
Resolved that
10. It currently costs the university 76p (estimate) per person for use of the shower facilities. This cost only includes water and heating.
11. CG be asked to provide a revised cost to include heating, ventilation, mechanical, premises and cleaning for use of the shower facilities.
12. FC be asked to investigate whether or not businesses within the city provide locker and shower facilities free of charge for their staff.
13. In order to incorporate the cyclist accident stats into the plan, FC and JW be asked to liaise with NG and DW.
14. In order to provide us with a flavour of costs DW be asked to provide examples of other cycle hubs across the sector.
15. LC be asked to liaise with the local bike shop - COGS regarding a joined up initiative.
Further to minute 3.14 – Carnet tickets
Noted that
1. Support was not received for the carnet tickets.
2. The university would have access to the regional back office at a minimum cost.
3. The software is available.
4. AS had explored a variation of services to include unlimited travel during term time for students at a cost of £400.
5. AS had completed a modelling exercise to present a case to the OVC Group to incorporate an unlimited travel pass within the fees regime, however this had not received approval.
6. Dave Fleming was moving forward with the Student Smartcard ticketing, this is currently being specked.
Resolved that
7. GW and TD be asked to carry out some research within the SU in terms of the carnet ticket proposal.
8. GW and TD to feedback their findings.
9. AS to liaise with Dave Fleming with regard to Smartcard ticketing.
Further to minute 3.15 – PCMD shuttle bus
Noted that
1. The shuttle bus contract still provides a regular service between the main campus, PAHC and PCMD.
2. The early morning service is well used by the students commuting from the main site to PAHC and PCMD.
3. The students are happy with the service.
4. The services throughout the day are not so well used.
Resolved that
5. City Bus did not have enough buses available to service the peak times between 8-9,and 3-5.
6. The contract between City Bus and PAHC, PCMD and H&E was being reviewed.
7. The possibility of including multiple operators was also being considered. / CG
FC
FC/JW
DW
LC
GW/TD
GW/TD
AS
LAUNCH OF TRAVEL PLAN
7.0 / Noted that
1. Completion of the plan is dependent on receiving the results of the student surveys.
2. The surveys to be carried out in the next 2 weeks.
3. An email to be circulated to all staff and students providing a link to the itrace questionnaire.
4. The results will feed directly into graphs and tables.
5. The surveys will be web-based and branded as Plymouth University.
6. In order to raise awareness Marketing and PR will be an important stage in the process.
7. In order to give staff and students an incentive to complete the survey an idea to source prizes could help get the best response rate.
Resolved that
8. In order to raise awareness AS, DW and NG be asked to ensure AM is kept in the loop.
9. In order to incorporate the surveys into the plan, a 2 - 3 week response period had been agreed.
10. Representatives from the Students union be asked to publicise the exercise.
11. AM be asked to ensure all communication links be considered in order to ensure we receive a maximum response rate.
12. LM be asked to contact our travel suppliers for prize draw contributions.
13. JB and AM to work out the best deliverable strategy.
14. The launch of the travel plan will take place in January.
15. We will be required to inform Payroll of any donations made to us for prizes in terms of taxable benefits.
16. The key messages of the plan are -
Ø saving environment
Ø saving money
Ø improving peoples health / AS/DW
GW/TD
AM
LM
JB/AM
REVIEW THE TRAVEL PLAN
8.0 / Noted that
1. The student surveys to be completed in 2/3 week’s time and will feed into the plan.
2. NG met FC a couple of weeks ago to review the plan in its current form.
3. They are happy with how this is proceeding and once the surveys are complete the plan is ready for submission.
4. Once the student surveys are included and the targets formalised PCC are happy with the structure and content of the plan.
5. FC noted that they work very closely with the planning department.
Resolved that
6. The group be asked to review the draft travel plan and contribute any comments or amendments to KD.
7. The draft plan to be completed to include the student surveys by the end of November
8. Once complete the plan will go in front of the OVC Group to be scrutinised.
9. FC be asked to liaise with the Planning department to confirm they are happy and the plan meets the planning obligations (section 106) in respect of the Marine building in order to present to the next board meeting in November.
10. The Sustainable transport team had commented on the plan and were happy with the results so far. The plan was taking shape and would expect to receive this by Jan 2012 pending the inclusion of the student surveys.
WALKING
Noted that
1. Plymgo – was a travel plan tool for Plymouth.
2. The tool enables the user to plan their journeys at basic level and gives a break down of driving, walking, cycling and bus routes.
3. It also provides the user with the health benefits in terms of calories used and provides the cost of each method of transport.
4. The site is more environmentally focused.
5. The link to the site is www.plymgo.com.
6. It is important to raise awareness of the travel methods and to try and increase the percentages of walkers and cyclists.
7. JW reported that the wayfinding was good up until the edge of the campus then seemed to stop.
Resolved that
8. CG be asked to ensure that the the Plymgo link be added to our Environmental pages.
9. LC be asked to send KD through the list of projects undertaken by Recreation and the initiatives to encourage walking.
10. The Campus Management group be asked to review campus signage with PCC.
11. The Campus management group be asked to invite a member of PCC to join the membership.
12. SH and LC be asked to address this at the EFM committee tomorrow.
CYCLING
Noted that
1. It was raised that there were suitable cycle paths providing safe access to the city, but inadequate safe cycle paths out of the city.
2. Plymouth University received funding from active universities to train cyclists to complete a cycling proficiency course.
3. Mark Cox and 6 members of staff have been trained.
4. Recreation takes students out on bikes weekly as part of the active university initiative.
5. Discounts are available for all Plymouth University employees who wish to hire a bike.
6. A new map of the city to include the cycle routes in and out of the city had been produced.
Resolved that
7. DW be asked to remove the bullet point
· Increased promotion of the interest free loan available to all staff up to £500 for the purchase of a bike.
8. FC be asked to provide KD with the link to the website for the cycle routes.
9. LC be asked to provide KD information regarding the cycling proficiency course for circulation.
10. The Active Universities initiative to be fed into the travel plan.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Noted that
1. AS had met with First Great Western and they were happy to offer discounted travel for our students.
2. This is an aim funded by First Great Western rather than the university.
3. The offer would be more attractive to students if discounts for rail were offered; this is a more lucrative form of travel and students are more likely to travel by train over the Christmas and Easter periods.
Resolved that
1. JB be asked to review the staff green travel pass with AS and SH.
13. DW be asked to include the park and ride scheme within the Travel Plan.
MOTORCYCLES
Resolved that
1. The demand for motorcycles be monitored.
2. Areas to be identified where further provision can be made available.
3. Potentially there will be an increase in spaces for motorcyclists but this has not yet been agreed.
4. CG be asked to look at the figures for motorcyclists per parking space.
MANAGING CAR USE
Noted that
1. The university currently lease one floor of the car park at Mutley.
2. The Mutley car parking is subsidised and the outstanding payment is offset against the income from campus parking.
3. Mutley is currently undersubscribed.
4. The car park is currently 85% full when this is normally allocated to 120%.
5. The university currently occupy a whole floor however there could be some scope to reduce spaces over time. However lesser space comes at a premium.
6. Applications can only be made by staff who have at least one year’s continuous service with the University as at 1 September 2011 and who do not live within the City/Central zone, unless staff qualify for consideration under one of the priority categories –
· Blue badge holders
· Essential business drivers
· Car share groups
· Exceptional personal circumstances
7. From past experience if the parking prices increase the demand drops.
8. The pricing and allocation structure would be revisited if the parking provision is reduced further.
9. PU parking charges are currently the most expensive in the country.
10. Several bus services and commuting times within and around the city are being withdrawn resulting in a proportion of staff who will still want to bring their cars in to work.
11. We need to understand what we are trying to achieve and appreciate the cost, carbon and staff implications.
Resolved that
12. The university to promote car share Devon and to encourage staff to car share.
13. A review of the car parking policy to be carried out to include full cost analysis.
14. The aim would be to look at releasing the lease of Mutley car park.
15. A student project be considered to look at cost per sqm in terms of space ownership.
REDUCING THE NEED TO TRAVEL TO WORK
Noted that
1. ILS have been logging the usage of video-conferencing and instant messaging for 7 months.
2. If staff were aware of the facilities available to them, then they would be able to consider whether it was necessary to travel.
Resolved that
1. GB be asked
a) to provide information to the group regarding video conferencing, PC to PC video conferencing, instant messaging and telephone conferencing.
b) To provide figures of video conferencing usage.
2. ILS be asked to provide room based video conferencing training.
3. Guidance notes to be produced on the necessity of travel to include alternative options available.
BUSINESS TRAVEL
Noted that
1. The Travel unit are a mandatory service which must be used by all staff for business travel.
2. If staff members carry out their own travel bookings this is picked up via the submission of their online expense claims and an investigation is carried out.
3. People are advised to book travel well in advance to ensure they get the best deals.
DELIVERIES AND SERVICES
Noted that in recent years the university fleet has got smaller.
Resolved that CG be asked to provide information of PU’s fleet to NG. / 9
.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TRAVEL PLAN
9.0 / Noted that the plan is still being collated and the implementation will become clear along the way.
Resolved that Ruth Weaver be the contact for the staff and student surveys. / RW
AOB
10.0 / Noted that
1. PCC were working up proposals for a cycle, pedestrian route through the campus.
2. The proposed route enters the campus from North Hill and runs along the north of the Levinsky building and exits campus between the Marine and Babbage building.
Resolved that JW be asked to refer this to the Campus Management group for review. / JW
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
11.0 / Tuesday 24th January at 1400 hrs in Babbage 007.
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