Business people saddle up at Longbridge Technology Park

Ride to work part of sustainable transport drive.

Business people at St. Modwen’s £100 million Longbridge Technology Park saddled up and cycled into work as part of a drive to get staff to use sustainable methods of transport for their daily commute.

Longbridge Technology Park managers and staff from Logomotif, Phil Jones Associates, iON Cameras, Host Europe Group, Optima Energy and Bournville College were among the scores of workers who took part in the ‘cycle to work’ day.

It was held to promote the forthcoming launch of Longbridge Technology Park’s new travel plan, the long term management strategy to encourage people to use modes of travel that reduce carbon emissions and congestion while promoting good health.

Compiled by St. Modwen, Centro and Birmingham City Council, the plan encourages workers to leave their cars at home and instead bike, train, bus or walk to work and their meetings. It also highlights the wide range of transport links available at Longbridge and comes as St. Modwen and the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership launch plans to invest in a multimillion pound Longbridge Connectivity enhancement package that will include a rail station upgrade, cycle link scheme, bus interchange and park and ride facilities.

The official launch of the Longbridge Technology Park Travel Plan will take place on 4th June – when staff across the park will attend a special event where they can pedal themselves a fresh fruit drink on a smoothie bike, take a look around a National Express hybrid bus, try out a range of different bikes to see which best suits them, and venture on a walk that will take in some of Longbridge’s transport connections.

The launch event will coincide with the seventh birthday of the Innovation Centre – the flagship building at Longbridge Technology Park which is home to nearly 50 technology-based local, national and international businesses.

Innovation Centre Manager James Teal said: “Longbridge prides itself on being a fast growing, world class, connected community that provides strong transport links for its workforce, supply chain and markets. “We hope that the new travel plan will encourage workers to get out of their cars and use smarter methods of transport that are kinder to their health, purse strings and the environment. We invited staff from the park to cycle to work today as it’s one of the best ways to commute: it’s cheap, fast and good for your health – the NHS says that cycling can burn up to 650 calories an hour.”