Travel and transport – Green Plan

The NHS published the Net Zero Travel and Transport Strategy in 2023, recognising the NHS’s necessity as an anchor institution, to decarbonise its fleet. The strategy applies the sustainable travel hierarchy and sets targets for Trust owned vehicles, staff travel and leased vehicle emissions.

The sustainable travel hierarchy

The sustainable travel hierarchy image description

The sustainable travel hierarchy. The most sustainable mode of transport (digital communication) is at the top of the hierarchy followed by walking and wheeling, cycling, public and shared transport, electric vehicles and car sharing, ICE vehicles and car sharing, finishing with the least sustainable (air travel) at the bottom. The hierarchy represents the order of priority for modal shift.

Our travel and transport objective is to:

Measure and reduce emissions associated with all staff and patient travel, as well as rationalising our fleet and journeys around our sites. Encourage active travel and low carbon options where possible, providing facilities and programmes to support this transition.

Where we are

  • We have installed secure cycle facilities, lockers and showers at BRI for staff to use. We have a Bicycle Users Group that are a community of cyclists at the Trust
  • Currently engaged with Yorkshire Trams and the council on buses
  • We have two EV charging points installed on site
  • Annual Travel Survey carried out

Where we want to be

  • Develop a Sustainable Green Travel Plan in line with the NHS Net Zero Travel and Transport Strategy and expected guidance from NHS England in 2025
  • Increase number of staff cycling to work or using public transport
  • Increase the number of EV chargers installed for staff and patient use
  • Review WFH policy to reduce staff travel
  • Review and have implemented changes to our fleet to improve its sustainability and reduce number of journeys to and around our sites, looking to centralise fleet management with our Partners
  • Continue to work with our partners to provide low carbon travel solutions to our staff
  • Use digital solutions to better understand our business travel and its associated carbon emissions

Actions

We have identified the following actions to enable achievement of our travel and transport objective:
Action Trust lead Delivery date
Develop a Sustainable Green Travel Plan in line with the NHS Net Zero Travel and Transport Strategy and expected guidance from NHS England in 2025 Head of Sustainability / Green Plan SRO End of 2026
Increased number of staff cycling to work or using public transport Head of Sustainability End of 2028
Increase the number of EV chargers installed for staff and patient use Deputy Director of Estates and Facilities End of 2028
Continue work with our partners (Local Authorities, etc.) to provide low carbon travel solutions to our staff Head of Sustainability End of 2028
Use digital solutions to better understand our business travel and its associated carbon emissions Head of Sustainability End of 2026
Review and improve our fleet and make arrangements to purchase, or enter into new lease arrangements for, zero-emission vehicles only from December 2027 onwards Deputy Director of Estates and Facilities End of 2028
Offer only zero-emission vehicles through vehicle salary sacrifice schemes from December 2026 onwards (for new lease agreements) Deputy Director of Estates and Facilities End of 2028
Continue to monitor new taxi arrangement to ensure all journeys are being completed with EVs Deputy Director of Estates and Facilities End of 2028
Complete a staff travel survey Head of Sustainability End of 2025
Explore collaboration with neighbouring Trusts to reduce mileage and support transition to more sustainable travel Head of Sustainability End of 2028

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