Travel card helps to cut congestion

Jun 23 2007 By Chloe Griffiths, The Journal

A pilot travel scheme aimed at tackling congestion is helping to spread the message of flexible working habits.

The Go For Jobs travelcard is the first time nationally that a business organisation has attempted to combat the issue of traffic problems and its effect on economic growth.

The card is a product of the award-winning Go For Job's campaign, jointly led by The Journal and the North-East Chamber of Commerce (NECC), which has been fighting to improve the region's transport network in a bid to boost development and regeneration in the North-East.

The card is aimed at getting people to leave their cars at home and gives users discounted travel on public transport.

The NECC teamed up with Metro operator Nexus to deliver a saving on the average ticket and many bus services in Tyne and Wear. The scheme is another push to encourage the NECC's 2,000-plus members to take better advantage of public transport and reduce traffic.

NECC bosses believe the travelcard, in conjunction with efforts to promote the Work Wise North-East campaign, will help put the brakes on the increasing amount of cars on the region's road - which are in turn hampering economic development.

NECC director of membership and policy Andrew Sugden said: "It is vital that Go For Jobs and Work Wise North-East work alongside each other to tackle the fundamental issues affecting Tyne & Wear.

"Rising car use is an unavoidable side-effect of the greater prosperity we are witnessing here in the North-East.

"What both campaigns are trying to do is to make people think about their actions. Go For Jobs is encouraging people to use public transport wherever possible and making it more affordable.

"Work Wise wants them to then think about why they take journeys and at what time.

"Ultimately, if we can encourage greater use of public transport and get people to avoid travelling at peak times, we will have a profound impact on development in this area."

Work Wise is a national campaign aiming to end the monopoly of nine-to-five, five-day weeks, and instead encourage more flexible working habits, such as staggered starts and working from home.

Work Wise North-East chairman and regional manager at BT Simon Roberson said: "The Go For Jobs travel scheme is a truly innovative approach to a problem and, as such, is gaining national attention as a potential solution to the issue of rising congestion.

"Work Wise has a tremendous role to play in this aim as it encourages people to decide whether or not they need to make the journey in the first place and then to consider if they can do it outside of the rush hour."