Bristol enterprise zone offers workers access to joinmyjourney service

People working in a business development project in Bristol can now use a locally developed online portal to find others to share their journey into work across a range of modes.

The Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone (BTQEZ) has opted into joinmyjourney a free-to-use portal that enables staff to find walking, cycling or commuting companions to share their journeys, either regularly or as a one off trip.

BTQEZ was set up in 2012 and is one of the largest urban regeneration projects in the UK. It covers 70 hectares with Bristol Temple Meads station at its centre and is home to a cluster of 300 businesses in the creative, finance, digital, high-tech and low carbon sectors. Companies with offices there include IBM, Burges Salmon, Royal Bank of Scotland and Osborne Clark.

It is expected that 4,000 people will be working at BTQEZ by 2017 and some 17,000 by 2037.

Mark Bradshaw, Bristol City Council’s cabinet member for transport said: “As the Enterprise Zone develops, attracting many more thousands to work in its growing high-tech, digital and low carbon businesses, it is crucial that people have better information and choice to travel to work more sustainably.

“Bristol’s business community is thriving, and offering sustainable transport plans benefits not only city residents, but can also help to attract new businesses who are passionate about making a positive contribution to tackling congestion and air pollution in Bristol. It’s a real win-win.”

BTQEZ is receiving significant investment in infrastructure, including £21m to improve the vehicle, cycling and pedestrian access in the area; £11m to provide superfast broadband for companies and £200m for the citywide MetroBus scheme.

The BTQEZ is one of five new areas of the city that will join the joinmyjourney scheme – the four other areas will be announced later this year.

More than 50,000 people across Bristol and South Gloucestershire already have access to joinmyjourney. These include 30,000 who work or study at the University of the West of England, 8,000 at North Bristol NHS Trust, as well as 8,000 at Aztec West Business Park.

Joinmyjourney is a not-for-profit scheme is run by Bristol-based resource efficiency specialist ecosurety. It was launched eight months ago with support from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) and North Bristol SusCom.

The map-based joinmyjourney service is available for Apple, Android and Window devices. The service is designed to reduce the numbers of vehicles attempting to park at business sites, to lower emissions and help employees save money by cutting commuting costs.

James Piper, commercial director at ecosurety, said: “Our ecosurety wholeheartedly supports sustainability. This decision to run with this CSR project and invest significant amounts of time, money and resources underlines our commitment to our local business environment and community, as well as to our core value of striving to continuously eradicate all forms of unnecessary waste.”