Vehicle emissions are a major contributor to global pollution and climate change. With a fleet of over 2,500 vehicles and an annual business mileage of over 13 million miles, we need to manage the use of our vehicles to reduce environmental impacts and financial costs.

Sustainable transport strategy

Responsibility for transport sits within our Fleet Services department, part of our Carbon Management team. Their aim is to raise awareness of the environmental and financial impacts of driving, and to encourage use of more sustainable transport.

Most recently, this strategy has included:

• Monitoring of the Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) systems installed in all our vehicles so that fuel efficiency and driving patterns can be assessed and improved
• Launching a new intranet site for staff to provide advice on transport issues
• Publishing advice for our staff on how to reduce emissions when driving
• Creating a weekly safety checklist for employees to use when checking their vehicles - this includes advice on maintaining the correct air pressure in tyres, which influences fuel consumption and emissions

Encouraging sustainable transport usage

During 2011, we are trialling the use of two electric cars as an alternative to using petrol cars for business travel.

We offer our staff interest-free, season ticket loans to encourage them to use more sustainable forms of transport when travelling to work.

We also continue to review possible support for alternatives to the car, including walking, cycling and public transport, and we run a scheme giving staff the opportunity to buy bicycles at a discounted price.

As a responsible employer, we allow more flexible working, including home-working, which reduces the need to travel and helps our employees balance work and home life.