From the
Telegraph:
Employers are to be urged by Norman Baker, a transport minister, to allow staff to work one day a fortnight from home as part of the Government^s drive to cut transport congestion.
Incentives could be introduced to encourage flexible working and train companies will encouraged to overhaul how season tickets are sold, so people who only spend part of the week at an office are not penalised.
Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrats^ transport minister, believes traditional travel patterns have to change if the Coalition is to create the low-carbon economy it promised and has instructed officials to work out how his ideas can be brought into practice.
He also plans to discuss his initiative with Treasury and other ministers as well as meeting business leaders.
^Part of my brief as a transport minister is to sometimes encourage you not to travel. I want to be the first virtual transport minister,^ he told the Daily Telegraph. ^This isn^t just pie in the sky; it could really work with just a little bit of flexibility."
Mr Baker^s initiative could ease pressure on Britain^s overstretched transport network which is bracing itself for sweeping spending cuts in the Autumn.
^The kind of initiatives I^m working on will do away with the rush hour. Reducing demand will reduce congestion, pollution and stress in our daily lives. Working just 1 day in 10 from home would have a huge impact,^ Mr Baker said. ^For example, homeworking could do wonders for that work life balance we all strive for. So you drop the children off at school, work in the office 9.30 until 2, go and pick them up, then work a couple more hours from home. And why do we all choose to hit the road or rail at the same time every morning. Twenty-first century transport choices should fit a twenty-first century world where we shouldn^t just use smart cards to travel, we should be smarter about when we travel and when we use office technology for virtual travel instead.
^The results will be tangible ^ reduced congestion, reduced carbon emissions, improved quality of life and if we^re all working from home we might even start talking to our neighbours again, now that can^t be a bad thing for our communities.^
Mr Baker also wants rail companies to sell cornets as well as season tickets.
This would enable people to pay for their journeys in batches while enjoying the discount offered to season ticket holders.
Mr Baker also wants the DfT» and the rest of Whitehall to set an example with officials and ministers using video conference to cut back on their own travel.
According to a Parliamentary written answer the Department of Work and Pensions has spent ^115 million over the last decade on management conferences and external meetings.
The Department of Communities and Local Government spent ^8.8 million over the last four years.
Since taking office Mr Baker has already delivered two speeches remotely, by recording a DVD which was played at a conferences.
Mr Baker^s initiative was welcomed by Matthew Farrow, CBI Head of Infrastructure.
^We agree there needs to be big changes to the way we work and commute to cut future congestion, particularly on our roads,^ he said. ^Although it^s not feasible in all workplaces, employers are increasingly enabling staff to stagger their commutes and break out of the usual ^nine to five^
It was also welcomed by Stephen Joseph, executive director of the Campaign for Better Transport. ^I think this is a huge step forward. A lot of the debate seems to be taking place as if the internet was never invented.^
But his plea for people business executives to travel less alarmed the Association of Train Operating Companies.
^Around 250m journeys are made by business travellers every year. Rail is an increasingly popular way for businesspeople to get around, with bookings through corporate travel agents rising by 13% last year alone,^ a spokesman said. ^The train is a good option for businesspeople getting around the country because in many cases they can catch up on work and use their time travelling almost as productively as they could do in the office.^
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Mr Baker also wants rail companies to sell cornets as well as season tickets.
Indeed - why shouldn't they?
