The Green Steps offer and potential benefits

The offer

• Free access to a travel plan monitoring site that allows you to survey your staff to find out how they travel and how they would like to travel - giving you insight into changes you can make to help staff travel more sustainably. If you would like to sign up to Modeshift (opens new window) please email gosmarter@gateshead.gov.uk and you will be sent details of how to sign up.
• Advice on incentives to encourage staff and customers to try walking, cycling or using public transport to get to work
• Details of grants and funding available to improve facilities at your site
• Support with writing a travel plan for your business
• Helpful advice on encouraging staff and customers to travel sustainably

Potential benefits

Health

Walking and cycling, what we call "active travel", has big health benefits. It can help make you fitter and healthier as well as benefits to the air quality.  Research has shown that employees who walk or cycle take fewer sick days than those who drive to work.

Employees who walk or cycle are also likely to be less stressed when they arrive at work, meaning a positive start to their day.

Public transport

Not all journeys are possible by walking and cycling. This is where public transport can be useful. It's worth remembering that using public transport usually also incorporates some active travel. Walking to and from the bus stop or station can add to your daily activity.

We're very lucky in Gateshead to have an excellent network of buses but also metro and rail stations. Bus fares are capped at £2 for a single journey until December 2024. Compare this to parking charges in many car parks and it's easy to see how public transport can be a cheaper option. 

Financial

Car parks are costly to maintain - resurfacing, painting lines, lighting, CCTV. Businesses may not think about these costs from day to day, but they add up. If fewer staff are parking at your location then your need for spaces reduces.

There can also be the added benefit of improving the air quality around your place of work. Fewer cars entering and leaving or idling in traffic waiting for car parking spaces. It won't be only you who benefits, but also your neighbours. Your neighbours will also be pleased if fewer cars are driving past their houses or businesses or parking on the streets nearby.

The savings for staff can be big. Walking is completely free and, once a bike is purchased, cycling is low cost.

Compared to the cost of buying and maintaining a car, let alone the fuel to go in it, it is easy to see how much money staff could save.