The West Sussex Safer Routes to School & Travelwise team can walk tall after scooping top prizes at national award ceremonies.

The County Council’s Staff Travel Plan won the ‘Commuter Friendly Workplace of the Year’ award at the ACT Travelwise awards ceremony last week in Newcastle.

Highly commended accolades went to the Council’s Walk To School campaign in the Marketing category, and to Team Leader Ian Patrick in the School Travel Planner nominations.
 
ACT Travelwise is the UK’s premier network for all organisations working to promote sustainable travel.  It aims to raise awareness to individuals, businesses and schools on how they can help in reducing pollution and congestion caused by cars.

Travelwise in West Sussex aims to promote the benefits of using more environmentally friendly methods of transport, including cycling, walking, public transport and car sharing.

The Staff Travel Plan also won the Grey Fleet Champion award at the Energy Saving Trust’s ‘Fleet Hero Award’ ceremony. This was a further recognition of the work done to reduce car travel to work and to encourage staff to use ‘greener’ ways of travelling on business.

The awards celebrate organisations that implement innovative and energy-efficient, policies.

Derek Whittington, County Council Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, said: “Congratulations to the Travelwise team, and to all staff and individuals who make the effort to reduce their car travel to work.

“At the heart of Travelwise is the belief is that making relatively small changes in the way we travel or access services can have a big impact on traffic congestion, local air quality, and global warming.

“Not only does the team try to promote more environmentally friendly travel, but also highlight that by cycling or walking to school or work is much healthier too.

“The team and County Council will continue to promote its messages and help improve sustainable travel choice.”

For more information visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/travelwise

More than 1,000 West Sussex businesses have signed up to compete for London 2012 business contracts.

They have registered on CompeteFor, the website where London 2012 Games-related contract opportunities are published.

Of those signed up, more than half have completed the full registration process and are ready to bid for contracts.

West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy Deborah Urquhart said: “West Sussex – Ahead of the Game is the countywide initiative to help residents and businesses make the most of the London 2012 Games.

“There are more than 7,000 contracts on offer for the Games, for businesses of all sizes, and there’s no reason why more West Sussex businesses shouldn’t be bidding for those contracts.”

The latest round of contracts to go on the CompeteFor website are for catering suppliers for the 2012 Games, which has committed to serving the ‘best of British food’ during the Games.

West Sussex – Ahead of the Game is working with Business Link Sussex to support businesses to find out what contracts are on offer and to be ready to bid for them. A number of free workshops have been held this year to support businesses and more are planned.

Businesses should visit the London 2012 Business Network website for details on current and future opportunities, and information on how to register on CompeteFor and sign up for business e-alerts. The website is www.london2012.com.

For further information on forthcoming 2012 business workshops contact Business Link on 0845 600 9006, or visit the website at www.southeast2012events.co.uk.