Modeshift 2018:
Sustainable Travel Strategy
Supporting sustainable travel delivery
2014 CONSULTATION WITH MEMBERS
Comment No. / Members comment / Modeshift’s commentI have strong concerns about recognising “Electric, hybrid and biodiesel cars” (page 5) as sustainable for the following reasons: / This section has been removed
Page 23 “a 7% shift away from car use by July 2018”. When and what is the baseline? / An explanation has been included
I think developing links or attracting partners in the EU might be a mixed blessing. On the one hand you’ll have the results of forward thinking urban planning and on the other hand you’ll have the cultural differences with the stronger regional nature of European politics, which I think mean that if we have speakers from Holland for example the net result will be our own local authority employees saying… “we’ll never get that passed” or “we don’t have the resources for that”. So I’m saying that whilst it will be great to see best practice on a European level, it is so far beyond what some areas are used to especially outside London that is will demoralise. / Modeshift will be careful not to demoralise its members. Modeshift has worked successfully with a number of EU cities to share best practice from the UK and in return will share ideas with its members that are transferable.
I think that expansion is fine, so long as the organisation doesn’t try to be ‘everything to everyone’ and end up not being of any benefit to anybody / The Management Board will be extremely careful to ensure that it only provides support and best practice in areas in which it has expertise in order to do justice to all elements of the promotion of sustainable travel.
Really pleased that Modeshift are expanding to cover workplace and community travel choices as there is so much cross over. / This is the view of the Management Board as well.
Perhaps help make LAs aware of funding opportunities and if possible offer guidance on the best approach for successful bids for that funding / This will be covered in the strategy in section 5.6.
Section 5.3 schools. With LA budget cuts still taking place across the country, I feel that it will be difficult to get them to commit to STARS, or if they do they may find that they do not have significant time resource to enable it to be run successfully in schools. I would have concerns about LAs attempting to run the scheme but not being able to support it as well as it deserves and putting other schools off from participating in the scheme. Perhaps if further funding opportunities similar to LSTF become available, Modeshift could co-ordinate a bid in partnership with LAs to fund specific Modeshift STARS officers to sit within LAs to specifically work with schools to get them up and running with STARS and to normalise it within the school. With budget cuts, LAs are losing staff and feedback from those who have used STARS is that to be successful STARS does need a considerable amount of staff time. Living Streets have been successful with this kind of approach with the Walk to School Project. I appreciate that Living Streets already employed staff of their own prior to this project starting so the logistics of staff management would need to be considered, but I think it is worth investigation. / Modeshift plans to find ways to open STARS to all schools in England and offer as much online support as possible. Modeshift believes that staffing is pivotal to the success of STARS and will explore other ways to support schools by encouraging LAs to employ staff. Section 5.3 will be updated to reflect this.
I enjoy being a member of Modeshift and really appreciate the opportunities to share best practice and to speak with other people facing similar problems in other Local Authorities, particularly at a time when cuts seem to come from every direction. Although online forums can allow this, I like the fact that our regional meetings give us opportunity to talk face to face with people doing similar jobs to us. I have found the convention to be fresh and interesting each year that I have attended and I am looking forward to the next one in November. / Modeshift activities will continue to ensure members are able to network and share best practice with professionals across the sustainable transport industry.
Modeshift Expansion - Should Modeshift focus on any additional actions? Large businesses / housing developers (Residential TPs) – as members of Modeshift e.g. signing up to sustainable transport projects, Travel Planning for businesses / This will be covered in the strategy in section 5.5
Working with Central Government – What would members like us to achieve?
Reintroduction of requirement to collect MOT data. Get Govt to understand school journey and cutting carbon emissions, etc / Modeshift plan to offer the solution to collect MOT data through its STARS system and encourage schools and authorities at the local level to view the importance of collecting this data.
All sounds good to me - Really appreciate the national updates via email and at meetings, and networking opportunities. / Modeshift will continue to provide local, regional and national updates to all members.
Working with schools. What are your thoughts on the actions that are proposed? I support the proposal, however I would like reassurance that the schools element will not be diluted. I would also be concerned about the format of meetings as my role is purely schools work but I do appreciate that some officers work with both schools and workplaces. / A note will be included in the strategy to assure members that the schools element of our delivery will not become diluted. As our STARS program expands there will be more school specific content and resources.
Working with schools. What are your thoughts on the actions that are proposed? I am in support of the proposals. I would like to know what the suite of resources would be. If they are curriculum based resources these would be very welcome. Curriculum links for non-teacher STAs would provide a good way to get in with schools. / Modeshift will provide a range of best practice/toolkit resources for schools and will promote the sharing of resources linked to the curriculum.
- What are your overall thoughts of Modeshift as an organisation? It is a very professional organisation and the volunteer board work really hard
Modeshift expansion.What are your thoughts on the actions that are proposed? Important Modeshift expands, but the board need to ensure that the expansion doesn’t happen too fast and that they don’t stretch resources and lose track of their vision / Modeshift will phase its actions over time to ensure growth is steady and stable.
Working with schools. What are your thoughts on the actions that are proposed? All very positive. Ensure focus on schools isn’t lost. / A note will be included in the strategy to assure members that the schools element of our delivery will not become diluted. As our STARS program expands there will be more school specific content and resources.
Working with schools. What are your thoughts on the actions that are proposed? Again all very positive, unfortunately our LA does not have the resources to move forward with STARS as this time.
Travel choices - What are your thoughts on the actions that are proposed? As we have no dedicated staff to promote work place travel plans, any toolkit would assist the LA in providing guidance and assist. / Modeshift plan to explore toolkit and system options and services for its members
Working with Central Government - What would members like us to achieve?More guidance on finding additional funding streams, to ensure we have the resources to make a difference. / This will be covered in the strategy in section 5.6.
What are your overall thoughts of Modeshift as an organisation? Offers excellent support, regional meetings are an excellent way to speak to colleagues and share best practice. We would like to thank Steve Glazebrook for all the excellent work he does as the North West Rep.
Working with Higher Education Establishments. What are your thoughts on the actions that are proposed? Agree with actions proposed – good idea to involve Universities as they may be able to participate in research as well. Target is reasonable.
What are your thoughts on the actions that are proposed? Would the travel awards be linked with only those agencies who participate in STARS? What would the training cover? Good idea to share best practice as this is very beneficial at the moment and is one of Modeshifts’ best features. / The awards in this section of the strategy are linked to general best practice in sustainable travel. They are open to all members and are not linked to STARS. Training will be based on consultation with members to identify their needs.
Working with schools - What are your thoughts on the actions that are proposed? Cumbria does not participate in the STARS programme as we are short of staff resources to work directly with schools. One of the valuable aspects of STARS is the collection of data – we would welcome any national survey as in the previous school census. In order for the delivery and promotion of countywide sustainable travel the whole county collection of data is vital – this is not happening at the moment and we would welcome any national body input. / Modeshift plan to offer the solution to collect MOT data through its STARS system and encourage schools and authorities at the local level to view the importance of collecting this data.
Working with schools. Should Modeshift focus on any additional actions?If Modeshift could help to get a statutory question in the school census again this would help. / Modeshift plan to offer the solution to collect MOT data through its STARS system and encourage schools and authorities at the local level to view the importance of collecting this data.
- Working with Central Government. What would members like us to achieve? Question on mode of transport to schools should be re-included in the school census or another statutory way of collecting the data from schools. Lobby for additional funding for Local Government to provide safe routes to school
- Are there any other areas/actions that Modeshift should be looking to deliver over the next four years? Modeshift should work closely with Sustrans to make sure that work does not overlap – we go to Sustrans for a lot of our information too. Modeshift is in danger of growing too large an organisation and losing its identity.
- What are your overall thoughts of Modeshift as an organisation? Excellent support and information – useful regional meetings to share good practice. PowerPoints from meeting always well received as follow up from meetings.
- Do you have any other comments? It would be useful to have links to possible sources of funding on the Modeshift website – which is much improved recently.
Should Modeshift focus on any additional actions? Lobby to reinstate statutory collection of SIMS data and School Travel Plans from all schools / Modeshift will offer the systematic solution to collect data from schools and will continue to work in partnership with National Government, its members and stakeholders to collectively encourage schools to collect this data.
Expansion. What are your thoughts on the actions that are proposed? What are the proficiencies and expertise within Modeshift Board and members to expand into this area of work? There are many other support organisations out there for workplace and community engagement – perhaps Modeshift should concentrate on being excellent within the schools’ environment. / The Modeshift Management Board has a broad range of experience and expertise in sustainable travel. To expand into other areas including workplaces we will create additional posts on the board to help manage additional workloads. Modeshift members have requested that we expand as an organisation and include more than school travel. As jobs and roles have changed, Modeshift needs to reflect its member’s needs.
Should Modeshift focus on any additional actions?
Focus on what it does well already and improve that. Expansion may mean that membership will be raised – most authorities have already had revenue budgets slashed to the minimum and are unlikely to afford increased membership. / Modeshift plan to continue to improve the delivery of services linked to schools as set-out in the strategy. Modeshift will only increase membership fees if members agree to it at future AGMs. At present we do not propose to introduce any increase to fees.
Working with Higher Education Establishments. Can this be extended to colleges and places of further education / This will be included in the strategy.