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Don't be in the dark - commute smart...
National Commute Smart Week aimed to encourage commuters to adopt smarter working and commuting practices.
The day the clocks went back marked the start of up to five months of commuting both to and from work in the dark. It was also the start of Commute Smart Week, which highlighted a number of ways of avoiding that misery, and the depression and despondency that many experience as a result, by working and commuting smarter. The week also aimed to highlight alternative modes of transport and the benefits of more flexible working patterns for commuters. The current economic climate in the UK is seeing companies and employees alike 'tightening their belts'. The week drew attention to the wasted time and resources, which result from work-related travel and commuting to work at peak times. The benefits of smarter working and commuting include lower overheads for employers, increased productivity, and a demonstrable commitment to the environment. Smarter working practices also mean happier employees. The five working days of National Commute Smart Week were themed to focus upon different aspects of smarter commuting. These include travel planning, walking, cycling, health and congestion, with each day featuring advice and information on how to work and commute smarter this year. Participating partners with Work Wise UK have provided key messages, advice and information. So whether you are an employer or an employee, don't be in the dark this winter - Remember - Commute Smart. Car users click HERE to find out from one of our partners how to get the most out of a tank of fuel. Click on the individual days below for more information,
As Work Wise UK reported last year during National Commute Smart Week, 41 per cent of workers spend 40 to 60 minutes or more making their way to work each day. The average UK worker now spends 360 hours or 45 working days per year travelling to work . This works out as about 2906 miles per annum per worker resulting in the staggering figure of approx 78.5 billion miles travelled by the UK workforce each year. The knock-on effects of an often stressful and lengthy commute to work, are felt not just in terms of poorer work/life balance for the worker, but also by the UK economy as a whole. The Department for Transport's National Travel Survey (2007) stated that 60 per cent of all business and commuting trips are made by car Whilst some of the cost in terms of productivity and lost revenue is the burden of the employer, it is estimated that the commuting cost to the employee is approx £13.5 billion each year (Telecommuting 2000). To help you Commute Smart this Winter we have a free practical guide for both employees and employers. download the employers guide here. Despondency As the clocks moving back has signalled the arrival of winter and shorter daylight hours, workers will have to contend with the growing despondency of spending more time in the darkm however this commuter gloom can be reduxed by adopting smarter working practices, such as flexible working times, staggered journeys and part home working. MORE
Safety The effect of the clocks going back at the end of October on the number of road deaths also provides an impetus to change the way, in which we travel to work. According to the Department for Transport's Road Accident Report for 2006, the number of pedestrians killed or seriously injured rose from 658 to 696 between October and November. MORE
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