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Green travel plans
[ch 2: pages 17-19]HMRC Fact Sheet for employers setting up Green Travel Plans
When an employer helps employees to get to and from work, such as by providing petrol or season tickets, this is normally taxable. But there is no tax or national insurance to pay if an employer offers:
• free or subsidised work buses
• subsidies to public bus services
• cycles and safety equipment made available for employees
• workplace parking for cycles and motorcycles.
www.hmrc.gov.uk/green-transport/travel-plans.htm
Green travel plans, despite the tax-free benefits available, still had a low take-up with 51% of employers taking no action in this area. Only 12% of employers offer a comprehensive green travel plan scheme.
Meanwhile, a similar number of employers compared to 2009 do not provide a car pool/ car sharing scheme (49% in 2012 compared to 48% in 2009). However, there has been an increase in the number of employers offering this initiative as part of a comprehensive scheme (14%, up three percentage points compared to 2009).
Overall comparison with the 2009 LRD survey shows that there has been no dramatic progress in the area of green transport but where there was progress it was primarily focused around cycling initiatives. When it came to comprehensive schemes, respondents were most likely to report an increase in the number of secure cycle storage, lockers and showers (up 7 percentage points) and loans for cycling equipment (up 5 percentage points). There was also a 4 percentage point increase in respondents reporting comprehensive schemes providing subsidies for cycling equipment and tele/video conferencing.
National Museums Liverpool’s Green Travel Plan
National Museums Liverpool (NML) has a Green Forum for sustainability and environmental initiatives; managers, staff and unions work together for the advancement of sustainability across the organisation.
The Forum is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of the Green Travel Plan (details below) and communicates the results, setting five-year sustainable transport targets.
Here are just some of the initiatives that have been implemented or are being considered:
Cycle purchase schemes: NML offers interest free loans for the purchase of bicycles and has also been looking at setting up a salary sacrifice scheme which will allow employees to pay for a bicycle and associated security and safety equipment via monthly salary deductions,enabling them to make savings on income tax and national insurance.
Cycle parking: The provision of cycle parking on site takes into account the Sustrans guidance (www.sustrans.org.uk) on parking location, design and quantity. Showers and changing facilities are provided for staff where possible.
Public transport: High quality information is provided to ensure that lack of knowledge is not a barrier for public transport use. Information is available on the NML website and at the museum venues.
Car Management Strategy: NML is investigating measures to encourage employees and visitors to reduce single occupancy vehicle trips.
Car Share: Merseyside TravelWise operates a free car share database for people living in the Merseyside area. NML has informed staff of the database available at www.merseycarshare.org which allows users to enter their journey origin and destination as well as other relevant information such as preferences for potential car sharers.