Question time: What would you like to ask Baroness Kramer (the new Transport Minister) ?

Somehow, I find myself invited to the Mainstreaming Smarter Travel event on 3rd / 4th December in Manchester Town Hall. This is described in the publicity as an "annual event where representatives and stakeholders from all Local Sustainable Travel Fund (LSTF) awarded regions come together to share knowledge, good practice and discuss effective implementation of projects."
(Programme details available here)

One of the sessions on Wednesday 4th December, there will be what is describde as "an extended interview and discussion with the new Transport Minister with responsibility for LSTF, Baroness Susan Kramer, Cllr. Andrew Fender, Chair of TfGMC and Mike Blackburn, Chair of Greater Manchester LEP and BT regional director for the North West."

I have received an email asking me what my top questions would be for the three interviewees (see below).  Deadline is 12noon, Friday 22nd November.  So if you have any burning questions you would liked asked - why not send them in to the email address below or leave a comment on this blog.

A message from Lynn Sloman, Director of Transport for Quality of Life, Plenary Chair for Mainstreaming Smarter Travel Day 2

On the second day of the Mainstreaming Smarter Travel conference, there will be an extended interview and discussion with the new Transport Minister with responsibility for LSTF, Baroness Susan Kramer, Cllr. Andrew Fender, Chair of TfGMC and Mike Blackburn, Chair of Greater Manchester LEP and BT regional director for the North West.

I’d like to know your top questions for our three interviewees. We’ll endeavour to cover as many of them as possible – and certainly to address all the most popular topics.

Baroness Kramer was famed for her indefatigable pavement-pounding when she was the Lib Dem candidate for the London mayoral election in 2000, pledging to walk every high street in the capital city. So you might want to ask her what options she sees from her Ministerial hot seat to boost active travel. Or you might want to know what ideas Mike Blackburn and his fellow LEP Chairs have got for capital investment in sustainable travel post-2015.

Please send your questions by 12pm FRIDAY 22^nd NOVEMBER to rory.mcmullan@landor.co.uk.

Mark your email ‘LSTF Question Time’.

Sustainable travel grants for business / organisations in Greater Manchester

Details available on the Transport for Greater Manchester website (links below):



Travel Choices is offering grants to businesses for schemes which encourage employees to make sustainable travel choices.

Whether you want to build bike storage facilities at your premises so staff can cycle to work, put in an electric vehicle charging point or run an event to promote sustainable travel to staff, you can apply for up to £10,000* to make it happen.

The application process is simple, and our team of expert travel advisors are here to help you through each step. To get the ball rolling this is what you need to do:

• Join our Business Travel Network
• Tick the option for information on grants
• One of the Travel Choices team will come back to you to begin your application

Here’s what a Sustainable Travel Grant could fund for your business:

Capital schemes

• Cycling/walking facilities e.g. showers, changing facilities, drying room
• Pool bikes
• CCTV/improved security for cycle storage
• Electric car charging points
• Car park alterations for designated car sharing spaces
• On site modifications to improve access to walking and cycling routes

Revenue schemes

• Internal communications promoting sustainable travel
• A reward or incentive scheme for sustainable travellers
• Events to raise awareness of sustainable travel choices amongst employees
• Public transport taster tickets
• Seed funding for a shuttle bus service/ contribution towards subsidised bus route
• Corporate car club membership
• Specialist sustainable transport advice

* Eligibility conditions apply

For more information, visit: www.tfgm.com/travelchoices/Pages/business-grants.html  

Transport and Health - Transport Planning Society meeting (26th November 2013)

Overview:  The NHS in England is currently undergoing one of the largest reorganisations since its creation. Changes cover budgetary management, new clinical commissioning groups, greater local authority involvement, and so on.

The changes raise new opportunities for the transport and health sectors to enable achievement of mutually beneficial aims. Stronger links between the two sectors can help us to achieve improved health of the population, reduced levels of obesity, and a reduced resultant strain on NHS budgets through embedding active travel into the population’s daily lives. This event will provide an opportunity to identify the support both health and transport professionals can call on, to assist with development and delivery of complementary programmes now and in the future.

Speakers: 
Eleanor Roaf (Sustrans NW Regional Director)
Colin Cox (Public Health Consultant, Manchester City Council)
Nick Vaughan (Head of Transport Planning and Solutions – TfGM)
Dan Cassell (Transport and Access Manager – GM NHS)
NICE will also be represented

The presentations will be followed by a question and answer session.
 
We look forward to seeing you there – members and non-members welcome.
This event is free to attend for TPS/IHT/ILT/ICE/RTPI members (please bring your membership card with you); a £5 charge will be made for non-members.

TPS require that all attendees register for the event in advance (places are limited). Please reserve your place online or contact cheryl.maund@ice.org.uk if you have any difficulty. 

For all other event enquiries please contact Stacey.Silverman@jmp.co.uk
 
Lunch will be provided.

When: 12pm arrival for a 12:15pm start (duration: 2 hours approx.), Tuesday 26th November.
Location: Red Room One, City Tower, New York St, Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester, M1 4BT