HINCHINGBROOKE Hospital, in Huntingdon, has been awarded the Gold Standard of the Certificate of Development after encouraging staff to use public transport or bike to work through its travel plan.

The Cambridgeshire Travel for Work Partnership (TfW) and Peterborough’s Travelchoice project have commended the hospital’s travel plan, which is aimed at encouraging staff to use alternative methods of transport to the car.

The hospital trust has been raising awareness of various travel options by promoting Halfords cycle purchase scheme and TfW cycle and rail discounts. A bike user group (BUG) was also set up for staff to encourage them to cycle to work instead of travelling by car.

A car parking steering group has also been set up to review charges and space allocation and shows how important car park management is to the success of the trust and to its travel plan, a spokesman said. “Car park management will facilitate good take up of sustainable travel options.”

For 2011 Hinchingbrooke will be focusing on promoting the CamShare scheme, where staff have the opportunity to share cars if they live on the same route as another employee.

Environment manager Linda Cox, pictured with Phillip Darnton, chairman of Cycling England, said: “We are keen to ensure that staff have the opportunity to take alternative transport to work. Our aim is to encourage employees to use more sustainable modes of travel wherever possible.”