Promoting Energy & Business Efficient Car Use (Oxford)
Invitation: To businesses, employers organisations, and public and voluntary bodies
14:30 – 16:30, Wednesday 8th February, 2012
The Long Room, Oxford Town Hall, Oxford
Introduction
This free event is aimed at exploring the barriers to achieving energy and business efficient car use in Southern England.
It will introduce a sub-regional programme, which aims to expand the network of low emission Car Clubs and promote more efficient use of employers’ car pools in Southern England, through partnership working with Swindon, Hampshire, Surrey, Kent, and Oxford City Councils.
During the event we will learn how the use of “grey fleet” reviews and travel surveys are often a critical first step in the process of cutting business travel costs, reducing carbon and minimising risk.
Reducing grey fleet mileage can result in significant cost saving, and carbon and risk reduction – but the data alone does not lead to changes.
We will focus on how employers have overcome the barriers to change. Radical solutions often need the support of finance or HR departments and that among the solutions adopted are car pools, wider use of Car Clubs and the switching of shorter distance travel to other modes like cycling and walking.
Join us to find out how we can promote energy and business efficiency and achieve change together.
Background
Carplus (the national organisation supporting car clubs) is working with Surrey County Council as the lead authority in a consortium of four Transport Authorities in the South of England to develop a bid to the DfT for a three year of funding programme.
We are seeking support for a bid to the Department for Transport (DfT) that also will assist local authorities and car club operators to extend the existing Car Club network to ensure it is available to more residents and employers in the area.
To achieve viable Car Clubs we will also encourage the involvement of local communities, and will where appropriate support community-owned enterprises.
Through the Promoting Energy & Business Efficient Car Use in Southern England programme we aim to:
- Provide grey fleet reviews and travel surveys to employers, especially SMEs and groups of businesses;
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Offer assistance to employers who have had a review but need help with implementation;
- Increase the options for take up of a range of low emission solutions, assist in kick starting Car Clubs in up to 20 targeted urban areas and help existing schemes grow;
- Assist the use of electric vehicle use for business travel through car clubs and car pools.
Format of event
The event will include a presentation from Chris Endacott (GFleet Services) with case studies from employers who have switched to pool cars and Car Clubs, as well as presentations from Chas Ball (Carplus) and Car Club operators on expanding the availability of the Car Club network, and Surrey County Council. This will be followed by questions and discussion about the planned programme and what it can deliver.
Presentation and consultation
1. Welcome
Roger Pitman, Oxford City Council
2. Case Studies of Employers: Moving to energy efficient, low emission, business travel solutions; Grey fleet analysis; Barriers to change; Support measures for employers.
Chris Endacott, Consultant, GFleet Services
3. Expanding the Car Club network in Southern England: The Benefits
Chas Ball, Chief Executive, Carplus
4. Delivering low carbon Car Clubs: Introducing the Car Club option
Jonathan Hampson, Zipcar and Philip Igoe, Commonwheels
5. The Consortium LSTF bid: A brief outline
Marc Woodall, Surrey County Council and Kate Gifford, Carplus
6. Questions/discussion
