SALISBURY NHS FOUNDATION TRUST. Transport Strategy & Green Travel Update

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1 SALISBURY NHS FOUNDATION TRUST Paper: SFT 1922 Title: Transport Strategy & Green Travel Update Purpose of the Paper: To present an update on the Trust Transport Strategy and present a range of proposals related to green travel initiatives and car parking. Executive Summary: The Transport Strategy was approved by the Trust Board in The Board agreed to receive annual reports on the Transport Strategy, including green travel planning and car parking. Progress and developments within the green travel objectives include promoting awareness, barrier controls on car parks, encouraging walking, cycling, car sharing and use of public transport. It is proposed that car parking charges for visitors and patients should not be increased above the current prices and the pricing structure should remain the same. It is proposed that an inflationary increase of 2.5% be applied to staff purchased bays, other staff should continue to park free. It is proposed that the system of allowing disabled drivers to park free, including the barrier controlled car park, will continue with an additional validation machine to be sited in car park 8, if the Car Park Attendants Hut is installed. It is proposed that the existing distinct mix of car park spaces for car park 3 will remain as they are currently. It is proposed that exemptions and season tickets, in line with the Department of Health advice, for long-term patients, visitors and carers will continue as at present, with improved publicity being made available to wards and departments within the Trust and GP surgeries. It is proposed that the number of staff car parking spaces will be increased. It is proposed that two additional designated ambulance parking bays will be installed and three designated parking spaces for the Pembroke Unit will be installed. Actions required by the Board: (i) note progress and developments within the Green Travel Plan and that the Plan is formally put to the Transport Strategy Steering Group annually for review;

2 (ii) approve the recommended nil increase in prices for patient and visitor parking at SDH with continued charging for the first hour of parking; (iii) to note that if permission is granted for a Car Park Attendants Hut in car park 8, an additional validation machine will be installed there for the ease of disabled visitors; (iv) to confirm that the current mix of car parking spaces in car park 3 be maintained; (v) approve the recommended 2.5% inflationary increase for staff purchased bays, with effect from 1 st April 2009; (vi) reaffirm the existing policy of free parking for all staff; (vii) to note that the Trust is reviewing the number of staff car parking spaces and will increase as per plan. (viii) (ix) approve the introduction of 2 ambulance parking bays; and approve the introduction of designated parking places for the Pembroke Unit. Name: Position: Ron Perry Facilities Director

3 Introduction The Transport Strategy was originally approved by the Trust Board in 2004 when the Board agreed to receive annual reports on the Transport Strategy, including green travel planning and car parking. 1.Green Travel Planning Background A revised Green Travel Plan was approved in 2006 with the aim of promoting sustainable transport choices and reducing solo occupancy car journeys. The Plan has been updated. The Trust s Green Travel Plan was developed via the Transport Strategy Steering Group which includes representation from a variety of stakeholders including Salisbury District Council, Foundation Trust Governors, Staff Side Representatives, Link Schemes, the Patient and Public Involvement Forum and the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). The Travel Plan is available on the hospital website :- 4environmentalinformation/home.asp and includes a detailed action plan covering the following areas: Promoting awareness Facilities / parking management Encouraging walking, cycling and motorcycling Promoting car sharing Encouraging use of public transport Reducing car use and promoting greener work travel Progress and Developments within Green Travel Objectives Progress towards objectives outlined in the Green Travel Action Plan are as follows: Promoting awareness: A revised Travel Plan has been published and is available on the Intranet. Cycle and Car Share Schemes are being promoted through the use of Broadcasts and eye-catching posters. Facilities / parking management: Barrier controls have been installed in patient and visitor car park no. 8 and barriers for staff car parks 9 and 10 are currently being installed. We expect these to be fully operational in early Parking Permits are currently being updated and reissued.

4 Encouraging walking, cycling and motorcycling: Participation in local walking and cycling Forums through ongoing Trust representation. The first Halfords/Salisbury Hospital Cycle to Work Scheme was launched in July 2008 when 14 members of staff signed up to the cycle scheme. A second, similar scheme is currently being offered and an open day, in conjunction with Halfords, took place on 7 th November, 2008 to promote awareness. A salary sacrifice scheme is available to all employees purchasing a bicycle under this initiative. Green Travel Packs are regularly circulated to wards and departments. These packs include leaflets about walking, cycling and car sharing schemes, together with maps of the Trust, indicating where showers and cycle stands are situated. Showers are available for staff both in the laundry and the Staff Club. Promoting car sharing: The Trust now has a full Intranet link with the Wiltshire Car Share Scheme website, which staff from Salisbury hospital are able to join. This will continue to assist in the reduction of travel to the hospital site and thereby reduce congestion. Within the Trust, 70 people have registered and there are 4 teams using the scheme. We will continue to promote awareness of this scheme Encouraging use of public transport: Bus passes encourage the regular use of public transport, thus reducing site congestion. Through continued partnership working with the Wilts and Dorset Bus company, the Trust is able to offer discounted weekly, monthly and annual bus passes to staff and timetables and bus routes are always available. As the Trust is a ticket agent for the Wilts and Dorset Bus company, we receive 10% commission on all tickets sold. This amounted to 1,680 in 2007/08. The Trust also provides interest-free annual season ticket loans to staff. This benefit is also used as a recruitment incentive. Our own Patient Transport Services encourage the use of public transport where appropriate. There is a detailed action plan as part of the Trust s Travel Plan. This action plan has a large number of specific objectives (43) with target finishing dates for each objective. These objectives are on course for completion by the end of March 2009 when a further review will take place. Members of the Transport Strategy Steering Group have requested that the Green Travel Plan is formally put to the Group annually for review. The Joint Board of Directors have agreed with this request.

5 2. Car Parking Update Background The adequate provision of on-site car parking is a high priority for patients, visitors and staff. The latest patient and visitor barrier controlled car park opened in May 2007 and has resulted in a substantial easing of the parking difficulties for patients and visitors. Based on comparative information for 2007/2008, the Trust has very good provision of parking facilities vs. its peer group, with 3.6 spaces per bed vs. an average of 2.6 spaces [1] as is illustrated by the graph below. Note : RNZ = Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust Source total parking spaces per available beds for small Acute Trusts outside London Estates Return Information Collection. Patient and Visitor Charges Car parking charges were last increased on 1 st November Income from car parking (including staff purchased bays) is currently estimated at 655,000 for 2008/09, this is used to support Trust services for patients. An inflationary increase of 2.5% on patient and visitor car parking charges would yield less than 16,000 in a full year which would be reduced by costs associated with new signage and recalibration of parking machines. Having reviewed our charges and compared these to other organisations, it is

6 therefore recommended that the current level of car parking charges are maintained as detailed in the table below. SDH Current Price 2008/09 Up to 1 hour 1.50 Up to 2 hours 2.20 Up to 3 hours 3.00 Up to 4 hours 4.00 Up to 5 hours hours 6.00 Some members of the Trust Transport Strategy Steering Group have asked that consideration be given to allowing the first hour of parking to be free of charge. This would, however, result in a significant loss of revenue and be a very difficult scheme to administer. For example, managing less than 1 hour s parking in the Pay and Display areas would be incompatible with our Pay on Foot system. It was therefore recommended by the Joint Board of Directors that the Trust continues to charge for the first hour of parking. Further, in respect of clinic delays, beyond the patient s control, the Trust will continue to validate tickets so as the patient only pays a nominal fee for parking. This point was particularly emphasised by members of the Transport Strategy Steering Group and endorsed by the Joint Board of Directors. Comparable Charges of other Trusts It can be seen from the tables below that our car parking charges are broadly in line with comparable Trusts and Salisbury District Council. Surplus revenue from car parking is reinvested in improving site facilities and patient care. Royal United Bath Royal Hampshire County (Win) First 20 mins Free Up to 1 hour mins 1.00 Up to 2 hours 2.40 Up to 2 hours 2.60 Up to 3 hours 3.20 Up to 4 hours 3.70 Up to 4 hours 4.20 Up to 8 hours 6.30 Up to 5 hours days Concession Southampton University Hospitals Poole General Hospital Up to 1 hour 1.70 Up to 2 hour 1.40 Up to 3 hours 3.20 Up to 3 hours 2.00 Up to 4 hours 4.20 Up to 4 hours 3.20 Up to 5 hours 5.20 Up to 6 hours 5.00 Up to 6 hours 6.00 Up to 24 hours hours 20.00

7 Royal Bournemouth Hospital Up to 2 hour 1.00 Up to 4 hours 2.00 Up to 6 hours 5.00 Up to 11 hours 7.00 Overnight 6pm am Salisbury District Council - Maltings/Central (South) 0 to 1 hours to 5 hours to 2 hours 2.00 Over 5 hours 6.00 * 2 to 3 hours to 4 hours 3.30 * Central South only Disabled Parking There are currently 70 designated disabled spaces on site. Badge holders are entitled to park in any parking bay with the exception of ambulance bays, purchased permit bays and hatch marked areas. Blue Badge holders can park free of charge in any of the pay & display car parks. If they use the barrier-controlled car park, they can take their entry ticket together with their Blue Badge to the Transport Help Desk at Main Reception who will validate their ticket to enable free exit from the car park. We intend to continue with this successful policy. Feedback from the Transport Strategy Steering Group requested that we investigate the possibility of enabling disabled drivers who park in the barriered car park (no. 8) to have their car parking ticket validated more easily, rather than have to return to Main Reception for ticket validation. The Joint Board of Directors considered this request and have agreed that, if permission is granted for the siting of a Car Park Attendants Hut in car park no. 8 we will install a further validation machine for the ease of disabled visitors. Feedback from the Transport Strategy Steering Group queried whether car park no. 3 can be made available for disabled, ambulance and volunteer drivers only. The current usage of car park no. 3 is designated thus: 19 spaces for disabled drivers; 10 spaces for patients/visitors; 11 spaces for Link/Hospital cars and 10 free drop-off/collection spaces (total spaces 50). The Joint Board of Directors has considered this proposal and believe that the current mix of spaces in car park 3 best meets the needs of the users. In particular, some spaces should remain for drop-off/collection points and for the less mobile who are not Blue Badge holders.

8 Exemptions & Season Tickets In line with DoH advice, we currently offer discounted weekly season tickets at a rate of 5.00 per week for long-term patients, carers and visitors. The Joint Board of Directors recommended that the charge remain at this level. To help make patients aware of this scheme, information has been sent to wards and departments across the Trust and to General Practitioner surgeries. Free visitor permits will continue to be issued to visiting Chaplains, Contractors and the Police. Staff Purchased Bays In the spirit of the Trust s Green Travel Plan, an inflationary (2.5%) increase in the cost of staff purchased bays from to is recommended. Staff Car Parking Some members of the Trust s Transport Strategy Steering Group have raised the possibility of charging all staff for parking on site. The Trust currently has an approved policy decision permitting free parking for staff and the Joint Board of Directors recommended that this practice be continued. The Transport Strategy Steering Group also raised concerns about the inadequate number of staff car parking spaces. The Joint Board of Directors is fully aware of this and the number of staff car parking spaces will be increased to achieve this objective a number of spaces currently designated to patient/visitors will be allocated to staff at 9.00am in such a way that they can be returned to patient/visitor use if necessary. 3. Further Developments The Trust s Transport Strategy Steering Group has noted that Ambulance parking continues to be problematic and it is therefore proposed to introduce 2 designated ambulance parking bays : 1 at the Nunton Unit and 1 at the old bus stop outside the Main Entrance. Difficulties in parking are currently being experienced by some patients attending the Pembroke Unit. It is therefore proposed to provide between 2 and 3 designated parking spaces for the Pembroke Unit in car park 1. Patients will be advised of this facility. 4. Next Steps There will be a further review of the Transport Strategy & Green Travel Plan in the autumn of 2009 with a further report to the Trust Board in December 2009.

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