Case Study Summaries - Richard Armitage Transport Consultancy ...

MAKING CAR SHARING AND CAR CLUBS WORK CASE STUDY SUMMARIES
2.13 Barclaycard was the first business in Northampton to develop a travel plan and is an active
member of the Northampton Travel Forum. Barclaycard undertook a staff travel survey in
August 2003, getting 900 responses, and has recently sent out its second staff travel habits
survey. Car sharing aside, other travel planning measures are at an early stage.
2.14 Car parking at Barclaycard is free, and at present there are no plans to change this, even
though the company relocated from a town centre site. Staff who relocated are sensitive to
any site-related additional costs.
2.15 There are lunchtime shuttle buses into the town centre. This allows staff to shop and use the
town centre services. The bus interchange for the Business Park is located near to the
Barclaycard Building. Barclaycard lease the interchange to the Council, as part of a S106
planning agreement. Bus services to the Business Park have been cut recently. Barclaycard
has had difficulty opening up negotiations with the local bus companies to look at better bus
services for staff.
2.16 The site has a staff restaurant, dry cleaning facilities and cash machines. Yoga and
physiotherapy services are available on-site once a week and there is a private gym around
the corner. The staff restaurant is run by external contractors and is not subsidised by
Barclaycard, so the cost of meals is relatively high. The grounds to the rear of the main
building are landscaped with a central lake and wetland. Benches and seating areas are
provided for staff. Smoking is not allowed in the building but there are designated smoking
areas outside the building and a smoking shelter has been provided.
Integration with Other Schemes
2.17 Barclaycard operates a closed scheme using Liftshare. There is little interest in travel
planning amongst neighbouring companies on the Business Park, and Barclaycard is the
only business on site that is a member of the Northampton Travel Plan Forum.
2.18 However, Barclaycard will be looking to roll out their travel planning initiatives to other
Barclaycard offices in the UK.
Marketing and Promotion
2.19 The Ideas Week was used as a marketing tool to build up awareness of travel planning and
travel and transport issues. Barclaycard uses the Liftshare.com registered trademark slogan
to promote car sharing: SMART (Save Money and Reduce Traffic) Car Sharing. A range of
SMART branded giveaways is available, including a Frisbee, car air fresheners and car tax
holders.
2.20 Ben Brakes is responsible for Travel Planning at the site as part of his role as Environmental
Manager. He has used posters, e-mail notifications, travel forum meetings, the Ideas Week,
National Bike Week promotions, and the Smart Car prize draw initiative.
2.21 Barclaycard is hesitant to promote car sharing as a money-saving option too strongly,
because staff have been relocated from a city centre site and it may cause unrest amongst
staff who have to travel further to get to work following the relocation.
Final V1.1, Dec. 2004 - 9 -