“We ask colleagues to consider this option first. After that, the hierarchy asks whether public transport is possible and we’ve got a simple online booking tool for train tickets.

“We also offer a business mileage allowance for those who can cycle between meetings and interest-free loans for bicycles.

“Air travel is not permitted within England and Wales and every flight needs director approval.

“If the option of public transport or cycling isn’t available, then we ask colleagues to choose the vehicle with the lowest emissions and car share whenever possible.”

The EA’s hierarchy stipulates the order that these options should be:

• Lease cars should be used in the first instance to ensure that this fleet of vehicles is providing best-value.
• Pool cars should then be used if one is available.
• Hire cars should then be used in preference to grey fleet.

The EA has a fleet of 3,442 company cars, which have average CO2 emissions of 115.9g/km.

Fifty-one of these are pool cars.
In addition, it operates 1,475 commercial vehicles including HGVs.

Dawes adds: “We’ve calculated that if the distance is between 70 and 75 miles it will be cheaper for a colleague to use a hire car rather than pay them the AMAP rate to use their own car.

“We also encourage staff driving for business to go the most direct route via sat-navs or AA Route Planner journeys.

“Only when the above options have been exhausted should an employee use their own car. We don’t allow trips further than 75 miles even then.”

The Co-operative Group, which has diverse interests ranging from banking to retail, has phased in a travel plan to coincide with the opening of its £150 million Manchester headquarters in May.

The venue, which is served by Greater Manchester’s train, bus, tram, cycle route and road network, is now home to 3,000 employees.

Head of business change and transformation Amanda Jones, who has responsibility for the initiative, says: “The development of our new head office prompted us to look at green travel and think how colleagues will access the site.

“When we first started devising the plans for the building around four-and-a-half years ago we started by talking to colleagues about what they wanted and what they thought needed to happen to promote greener travel.

“We wanted to do all we could to prompt modal shifts away from the use of cars for single passenger journeys.

By engaging with colleagues, the Co-operative Group realised that staff would be more inclined to cycle into work if cycle routes were better. It also identified scope for more employees to use public transport when commuting.

As a result, it worked closely with Manchester City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester to address these issues.