HUNDREDS of businesses are saving time and money by providing sustainable workplace travel plans for their staff.

Organisations that help their workers discover alternatives to single-occupancy car use are not only benefiting the environment but are also finding there are financial and productivity benefits.

The National Business Travel Network (NBTN) – a Department for Transport initiative – is a business-to-business network that enables companies to share best practice and promote the idea of workplace travel plans.

Heather McInroy, NBTN programme director, said: “Our network exists so that we can demonstrate – through real examples – how businesses can reduce their employees’ single- occupancy car use and bring about financial, social and environmental benefits.

“We hope that by demonstrating the successful initiatives out there that we can encourage and inspire more businesses and their employees to set up travel plans and more sustainable travel.

“As well as strong environmental reasons to reduce commuting and business travel by car, there are substantial cost savings to be realised by organisations too.”

NBTN members include a wide range of organisations, from global corporations and high-street names, such as AstraZeneca, BskyB, BT, E.ON, Orange and Vodafone, to government bodies and small companies.

The NBTN says it has a strategy for all businesses, whether small or large, in both the public and private sectors.