NHS TRUSTS

In 2008 the NHS Sustainable Development Unit published a report entitled “Saving Carbon, Improving Health” which outlined a number of radical steps that should be taken to ensure that the NHS meets its targets of reducing its 2007 carbon footprint by 10% by 2015.

Currently the NHS accounts for 5% of all road traffic in England and travel is responsible for 18% of the NHS carbon footprint. It was therefore recognised as part of the report that minimising the amount of travel generated by the NHS is of paramount importance.

The following key actions were identified:

 All Trusts should have a Board approved active travel plan as part of their Sustainable Development Management Plan; Mechanisms to routinely and systematically review the need for staff, patients and visitors to travel need to be established in all NHS organisations.

TPS have experience of working with NHS organisations and other similarly large generators of movement to develop and implement sustainable travel strategies that meet both of these stated actions.