Birchwood Park Travel Management

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Birchwood ParkTravel Management Sustainability


Travel Co-ordinator Esstta Hayes
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• Who are MEPC?
• MEPC own and manage eight business estates,
  throughout the UK
• Birchwood Park is just one of these properties
  home to 4,500 employees and 145 companies
• Birchwood in Warrington, Cheshire, was
  originally built as a New Town development in
  1972, equidistant between Manchester and
  Liverpool. Our site is just 30 minutes drive
  from each city
• Birchwood was developed as a road-access hub
  for Warrington on junction 21 of the M6
  junction 11 of the M62
• MEPC purchased Birchwood Park in 1998, and the
  site is now 10 years old

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Birchwood Park Site Facilities

• Birchwood Park hosts a number of outstanding
  central amenities
• Cash point
• Quiet Room
• Shops/cafes within buildings for papers,
  beverages etc
• Garden Restaurant and café
• Dry Cleaners
• Health Fitness Centre
• Nursery facilities
• Hotel
• Conference meeting rooms
• On-site travel support

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• What is MEPC Birchwood Parks Travel Management
  Plan (TMP)?
• In place since 2001, our TMP continues to evolve
  and improve year- on-year
• The TMP aims to reduce demand for (and volume
  of) single occupancy vehicles, while improving
  conditions for cyclists, pedestrians and users
  of public transport
• To establish a base-line for travel conditions,
  the first staff Travel Survey was conducted (in
  2001) alongside auditing of existing routes and
  travel options
• The last Travel Snapshot conducted was in 2007,
  and gave a general idea of travel habits and
  origin of trips

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Wider Trip Origins
2007 Survey Results
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Local Trip Origins
2007 Survey Results
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Travel Habits

• The TMP is revised annually via a Travel
  Snapshot
• In-depth Travel Surveys are also conducted every
  5 years, our most recent being conducted in 2009
• From the Travel Survey, a Travel Management
  Action Plan was developed highlighting 8 areas
  with specific aims, objectives, timescales and
  measurement procedures
• Enforced parking regulations and site management
  also enables a successful Birchwood Park TMP...

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Car Parking Management

• Birchwood Park has stringent car parking policies
  including
• Barriers and Number Plate Recognition systems
• Third party enforcement and on-the-spot ticketing
  for violations
• Charged short-term parking
• Licensed car parking spaces
• Limited lease-included car parking spaces
  (Planning consent states an allowance of 1 space
  per 250 sq ft of leased office space)
• As part of our commitment to sustainability, we
  actively encourage and support those who wish to
  journey in a more environmentally responsible
  manner.
• The following slides outline the initiatives
  under the 8 Travel Management Action Plan
  categories

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Public Transport

• Working closely with the local bus operator
  Warrington Borough Transport (WBT) we have...
• Negotiated a 50 discount on weekly unlimited
  travel tickets for 7 days, usable on all WBT bus
  routes
• Negotiated for more local WBT buses to come via
  the Park, maximising available commuting routes
• Provision has been made for Real Time Passenger
  Information (RTPI) displays at Park stops

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Free Park Buses

• Shuttle Bus

• Express Bus

• The service began in 2001 to link Birchwood
  Railway Station/Shopping Centre with the Park
  (1.1 miles), which takes 7 minutes
  
  
• The Shuttle runs 6 circuits every morning,
  afternoon, and evening, being used for both daily
  commutes and lunchtime excursions

• Launched in 2004, the Express provides a direct
  link from Warringtons railway stations to
  Birchwood Park
• The Express enables a direct trip of 6 miles to
  be made in 27 minutes
• The service runs 2 circuits every morning (pre
  9am) and 2 circuits every evening (post 4pm)

Both services have proved an unprecedented
success! The free combined passes allow travel on
both reliable services, and free pocket
timetables are given with every new pass.
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Car Sharingwww.birchwoodparkcarshare.com

• The car share scheme is fully administered by the
  Parks Travel Co-ordinator
• The Park invested 10,000 in 2007 in Liftshare
  (jointly funded by WBC and the Highways Agency)
  to enable a fully online car share system
• Savings on Birchwood Parks Liftshare have so far
  been 48 tonnes of CO2, equating to 15,800
• Liftshare online currently has 270 members

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Cycling Walking

• The Park has invested heavily in additional
  cycle/pedestrian facilities, including 93 lockers
  (all fully allocated), with multiple showers and
  cycle parking across the site
• Plans are being evaluated to provide 62 lockers
  with in-built radiators at the Parks Centre,
  including ironing, grooming and new shower
  facilities

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Cycling Walking

• The Parks renewed Bike User Group (BUG) has a
  strong membership of 4 of the Parks total
  employees
• The Park has a Cycle Registration database, in
  the event of cycle parking/access issues
• Birchwood Parks free Borrow A Bike scheme is
  now up and running with 2 cycles inclusive
  safety equipment
• We remain involved via WBC of general cycle path
  maintenance around the Birchwood area
• The Park has been included in plans to develop
  signage for local walking and cycling routes

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Promotion of Incentives

• Travel awareness campaigns are regularly launched
  to promote health and environmental benefits,
  alongside improvements
• Regular meetings are instigated with
  occupiers/employees, to advise on sustainability
  and travel management
• Birchwood Parks TMP is currently being updated
  to reflect the last 10 years of growth within the
  Park
• The new TMP will include a new 8 year Action Plan
  to demonstrate future travel developments from
  2007 to 2014
• An MEPC Travel Information Folder is being
  created to provide accessible, up-to-date
  information about commuting travel options

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Making information accessible...
TMP 2008
Travel Information Folder Cover
Travel Information Folder Inside Cover
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Promotion and posters...
Liftshare
Borrow a Bike
Discount Bus Tickets
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Travel Information

• The dedicated Commuter Centre offers one-to-one
  travel advice, personal travel plans, and
  promotion of the website
• The Travel Co-ordinator is to be stationed at the
  Commuter Centre at times of peak footfall
• The updated website www.birchwoodpark.co.uk hosts
  an easy-to-navigate online Commuter Help page
  including
• Cycle maps
• Bus timetables
• Bike User Group submission forms
• Cycle Registration forms
• Links to www.birchwoodparkcarshare.com

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Finances and Support

• Birchwood Parks TMP, Travel Co-ordinator and
  future plans are financed through...
• Generated income via licensed car-parking spaces
• Generated income via car parking charges
• Contributions from external businesses
• Generated income via park service charges

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Benefits
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Modal Shift Statistics
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Quantifiable Benefits

• Trips 2001 Trips 2008 Total Number of Trips
• Shuttle Bus 6,971 65,763 318,408
• Trips 2004 Trips 2008 Total Number of Trips
• Express Bus 355 23,038 76,040
• Shuttle Bus Patronage 2001 2008
  Express Bus Patronage Increase 2007/2008

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Summary

• During 2008, Birchwood Park has continued to
  drive the TMP forward, implementing new
  initiatives and working with stakeholders to
  generate ideas for the future.
• Our objective to reduce single occupancy car
  journeys remains unchanged - this year we have
  improved facilities for cyclists, made car
  sharing more accessible and improved the
  promotion our free bus services.
• By constantly looking for ways to improve the
  TMP we continue to help relieve congestion,
  pollution and improve sustainability for
  Birchwood and its surrounding areas.

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www.birchwoodpark.co.uk
Contact me for more details on ehayes_at_mepc.com