Place of work: Essex County Council
What is your role within your organisation?
I’m a Sustainable Travel Planning Officer, working with all stakeholders in our communities to encourage and enable more sustainable modes of transport. In particular I work with schools, of which we have about 550 in Essex.
How long have you been working in this industry?
I started at another LA in 2008, and apart from an 18 month spell doing something else I’ve been doing sustainable travel at three different councils since then.
When did your Team Modeshift journey begin?
I properly started working with Modeshift when I started at ECC, in 2014. Since then, as they’ve rolled out their various offers, we’ve developed our support to the county around that.
Why do you believe it is important to promote active and sustainable travel?
In normal, non-Covid times most people make at least a couple of journeys a day, for school, for work, to shop or for leisure. If you can get the associated benefits of active and public transport from those necessary journeys, like exercise, cleaner air and saving money, it makes sense to make the best use of it.
What’s next, how do you plan on getting there, and by when?
Until we’re told otherwise I’m going to still be working from home. I’m supporting as many schools as I can, especially those who’re really enthusiastic. Our Active Travel Fund project will be taking shape too, and I’m sure I’ll be heavily involved in that.
