13 June 2008
Dear Colleagues,
Hopefully by now you will have heard of our new Cycle to Work scheme, which allows you to get a bike and associated safety equipment - completely tax free. You could have the use of a new bike and kit, up to a value of £1000, for up to 40% less than cost.
The scheme is open to all employees for a limited period. Register your interest by returning an Expression of Interest form to the Cycle to Work Administrator, Milewater Road or by faxing it to (028) 9035 4067.
The closing date for completed quotations is Friday 1st August. You can get a form from your Manager or you can download one from sharepoint or contact Brian Elliott (Translink) on (028) 9035 4009 or Alistair Wilson (NITHC) on (028) 9024 3456.
Cycling can be a quick and easy way to get to work, it can be part of a healthier lifestyle and it’s better for the environment. You cannot watch the news or read a newspaper without the ‘sustainable development question’ being raised.
Along with public transport, cycling is part of the answer! For this reason we always work to include cycling as part of an integrated transport service.
Other examples of sustainability in action in our Group are:
We work with the Ulster Wildlife Trust and have a Biodiversity Officer to develop conservation advisory notes, educate and train our colleagues and contractors and promote biodiversity
We work with TIDY Northern Ireland to develop Local Environmental Quality standards for our property
We work to further reduce (the already very low) emissions from buses and improve air quality; we pioneered the introduction and use of ultra low sulphur diesel in Northern Ireland and we have one of the youngest urban bus fleets in GB or Ireland with the ‘cleanest’ / least emitting Euro 3 and 4 engines.
Also, most Metro buses are fitted with catalytic converters and particle traps to further reduce emissions including PM10’s and recent additions to the bus fleet are fitted with idling limiters; these shut down engines if left idling.
We work at each of our locations to reduce energy use - at the Fortwilliam Train Care facility this meant 20% less energy used.
So, although passenger transport (and cycling!) are part of the ‘green solution’, we also look at sustainability and environmental management in the way we run our services.
Catherine Mason,
Group Chief Executive |
You could have the use of a new bike and kit, up to a value of £1000, for up to 40% less than cost.
