5.3.1 Organisations and Employers

• Reduced on-site parking and congestion issues
• Increased social inclusion and equality in the workplace by expanding employees’ choices and providing opportunities for those who struggle to access public transport
• Increased productivity of a healthier and motivated workforce as a result of a reliable and less stressful journey to work.  A three month study involving co-operation between a scooter manufacturer and a large accountancy firm into the effects of switching from a car to a scooter showed decreased stress levels and increased productivity (FNN 2004)
• Access to a wider human resource pool by attracting commuters who are not disadvantaged by public transport restrictions
• Potential cost savings through taking control of transport expenditure
• Improved access. This can reduce stress for both employees and visitors. It may also improve the reliability and efficiency of deliveries to and from the business.
• Improved morale
• Better relations with the local community

5.3.2 Employees

• Increased access to work and other opportunities
• Cost savings: motorcycles usually have considerably lower running costs.
• Time savings through reduced commuting time
• Access to employment and maximising punctuality through independent travel
• Facilitating multipurpose trips combined with the daily commute
• Reduced stress and better quality of life

5.3.3 Environmental

The Government’s Advisory Group on Motorcycling concluded that motorcycles, “through lower energy requirements, use less fuel and emit far less CO₂ than cars” (AGoM 2004). Motorcycles also have a lower fleet average CO₂ than cars (100‐110g/km CO₂ compared to approx. 145g/km for the car fleet) and use fewer raw materials and less energy for the construction of a given model (MCI 2012).  Further, mopeds and motorcycles are responsible for only 0.5% of the UK’s domestic transport greenhouse gas emissions (OLEV, 2013).  Encouraging more sustainable transport modes should be at the forefront of any Travel Plan. Fuel cell and electric motorcycles are becoming more widely available and are more affordable than zero emission cars.  This is an area where increased popularity could yield emission benefits against all other modes, including public transport.

5.3.4 Reducing Congestion

The majority of commuter vehicles used for journeys to and from work have only one occupant. Combined with their small “footprint”, this means that motorcycles:

• are efficient in their use of road space and alleviate the increasing problem of congestion. These space benefits are particularly evident at overcapacity junctions.
• require less parking space provision than four-wheeled vehicles.  As many as five motorcycles can be parked in a single space designed for a family saloon (Chapter 6).
• enable quicker journey times and often without the stress of being held up in peak time traffic.  This leads to individual and corporate congestion savings