News
5 May 2010
Pick Everard launches greener travel with big breakfast commute
Staff at architectural, engineering and environmental practice Pick Everard walked, cycled, caught buses, trains and car-shared to work last Friday and were rewarded with a bacon butty breakfast on arrival. The free, al fresco event was held on Halford Street, near the firm’s city centre head office in Leicester, marking the launch of Pick Everard’s innovative Travel Plan, for employees who had worked up a healthy appetite.
Endorsed by Leicester City Council, this is the largest, single voluntary travel plan by a private sector business in Leicester city. Pick Everard’s aim is to reduce the firm’s dependency on the car through a raft of measures, including public transport discounts, enhanced cycling facilities and high-tech video conferencing.
Pick Everard Partner Duncan Green said that as a consultancy providing advice on sustainability, it was essential for the practice to regulate its own performance. “We travel well over a million miles a year on business, most of it by car and about as much again in commuting. We’ve set ourselves tough targets in place for reducing our carbon emissions and our travel plan will play a key role. But it’s not just about carbon. Other benefits include increased efficiency, less impact on the environment, lower costs and the wellbeing of our staff.”
Pick Everard will share and promote the benefits of its travel plan within the wider business community, through membership of Leicestershire Business Voice, which has Pick Everard Partner Alastair Hamilton on its board.
Cllr Abdul Osman, Leicester City Council's Cabinet member for regeneration and transport said, “Council officers were involved with initial discussions about the travel plan. Pick Everard is one of the first businesses in the city centre to develop a voluntary travel plan, and we hope that many more will follow their example. By developing voluntary travel plans local businesses can help to reduce the amount of traffic in and around the city centre and also reap the benefits themselves in terms of staff recruitment and retention and in some cases financially.”
