17th June: The Number of Cars Travelling to Work Daily in Ireland Would Create a Single line of Traffic from Dublin to New York

Caption: By car sharing just once every week, employee fuel costs can be reduced by 20% and employer space requirement by 20%. This was the announcement made today at the launch of Smarter Travel Workplaces Programme by the Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey at an event hosted jointly by the Department of Transport, National Transport Authority, Business in the Community Ireland and ESB. Pictured at the event are Minster Noel Dempsey, Laura Turkington, Vodafone, Tina Roche, CEO of Business in the Community, Finola O' Driscoll, National Transport Authority and Padraig McManus CEO of ESB.

The Number of Cars Travelling to Work Daily in Ireland Would Create a Single line of Traffic from Dublin to New York

• Of the 1.9 million workers in the State, almost 1.1m (57%) drive a car to work
• Over 90% of car trips are driver only
• Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey TD invites business to make cost savings and reduce transport emissions at launch of Smarter Travel Workplaces Programme

Dublin, 17th June 2010; Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey, TD today called for action from businesses to address the issue of carbon emissions through travel to workplace practices within their organisations. The Minister addressed an audience of key business leaders at the launch of the Smarter Travel Workplaces Programme run by the National Transport Authority. In Ireland over 57% of workers travel to work by car, meaning daily there is 1.1 million people driving to work, the majority of which are driver only car trips.

Click here to read the Vodafone Green Agenda presentation

Click here to read 'How Smarter Travel in the Workplace delivers
competitive advantage at ESB'

Click here to read the NTA Smarter Travel Workplaces presentation

Click here to view photos of the Smarter Travel Workplaces event

The launch of the Smarter Travel Workplaces Programme which was hosted jointly by The Department of Transport, the National Transport Authority and Business in the Community Ireland heard from Vodafone and ESB on how both organisations are addressing this issue within the workplace. The launch was held at ESB head office on Lower Fitzwilliam St, Dublin.

The Smarter Travel Workplaces Programme assists organisations to address the issue of employee, business and fleet travel. The programme will engage with 100 of the largest and most influential employers in the state over an intensive 3-year cycle, assisting them to achieve at least a 20% reduction in staff car use by the end of the programme. Over 50 leading Irish based companies have already become partners and the National Transport Authority aims to have over 100 companies partnered with the programme by 2012. Organisations that are successful in becoming Smarter Travel Workplaces Partner have access to a FREE partner package worth in excess of €10,000 including a customised car-sharing website.

Travel to work can impose significant financial, environmental and health costs. Business can save money, increase productivity and show leadership by introducing strategic workplace practices that encourage car pooling, use of public transport, walking, cycling or reduced travel.

Speaking today, Minister Dempsey said: “The Smarter Travel Workplaces programme is there to assist companies to develop effective practices in this area. It is encouraging to see so many of Ireland's top companies already getting involved and producing win-win results for both business and communities.”

“Both the employer and the employees benefit from a workplace travel plan, which have been shown to reduce car commuting by between 10 and 25%- with some Irish organisations achieving a 30% reduction. Employees can save up to 50% tax on public transport tickets and bikes while employers can save up to 10.75% PRSI. By car sharing just once every week, employee fuel costs can be reduced by 20% and employer parking costs by 20%.” said Finola O'Driscoll from the National Transport Authority.

Adding to this Tina Roche, CEO of Business in the Community Ireland said “A travel plan can also make a strong contribution to achieving carbon reductions under the ISO14001 standard or to other targets relating to Corporate Responsibility and employee wellbeing. We encourage all Irish companies to look at how their employees travel to work; by taking the lead, Irish business can have a major impact on environmental issues and importantly on the well being of their staff.”

To find out more about the programme visit www.smartertravelworkplaces.ie

For Further Information Please contact:
Una O' Murchu
Business in the Community Ireland
Tel: 01-874 3821
Mob: 086 7808762
uomurchu@bitc.ie