Essex County Council assists new and existing companies within the county with their travel requirements. The basis for this is the creation of an individual company travel plan, a long term travel management strategy that enables companies to reduce car use, and provides a framework for managing transport issues within companies.

Where a company is developing a new site or expanding an existing site for more than 50 employees, a travel plan is an essential component of the planning application, for which a monitoring fee of £3,000 - £5,000 is charged. There is no charge for a voluntary travel plan, which can be written at any time.

There are clear advantages to adopting a travel plan including reducing costs, working more flexibly and raising the ethical profile of the company. A robust travel plan can aid recruitment, retention and morale, improve transport infrastructure and reduce congestion in and around the site. The Sustainable Business Travel team will work with your company to develop the most efficient, sustainable solution to your organisation’s travel requirements and, where appropriate, make recommendations which will improve the way your employees travel.

Travel plans will be reviewed, monitored and where applicable, accredited with either a bronze, silver, or gold standard award. These awards will reflect the business, or organisations efforts in the promotion and development of their travel plan, ensuring that it remains an “active” document. Accredited organisations are eligible to apply to the Travel Plan Team for a match funded grant of up to £2000 towards further travel plan improvement measures, such as pool bike fleets or car share schemes.

The publication Helping you create a business travel plan provides detailed information on creating a travel plan, including the potential benefits and cost savings.