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5 BUSINESS TRAVEL

5.1 Local travel between SE buildings

Half of respondents who have travelled to another SE building for business travelled at least part of the way by bus for their last trip, while around one in five travelled part or all of their journey by taxi (22%), private car (19%) or train (19%). Use of private cars is notably lower than for travel to work.

Table 6 Mode of transport for last trip to another SE building by location (Q15)

Use of SE pool cars for business travel is notably higher at Pentland House (20%) than other locations, while walking between SE buildings and travelling by train is highest for Glasgow buildings, and travelling by bus most common for Victoria Quay (54%) and St Andrew's House respondents (60%).

5.2 Local travel between the six main SE buildings

Victoria Quay is the most common destination for travel between the six main SE buildings, including travel between Glasgow and Edinburgh, and public transport is most commonly used for journeys to Victoria Quay (See table below).

Table 7 Most common destination and transport mode for journeys from place of work to another of the six main SE buildings

5.3 Taxi use between SE buildings

• Over one in five travelled by taxi for their last trip to another SE building for business
• Taxi use is highest for Victoria Quay respondents (23%) and lowest for Meridian Court respondents (15%)
• Levels of taxi use are similar across age ranges and gender
• Taxi use increases with seniority in the organisation, with more than twice as many SCS taking taxis (33%) as A Band (15%)

In the survey, the main reasons given for travelling by taxi between SE buildings are that 'public transport takes too long' (53%) or that respondents are 'taxi sharing' (51%). In contrast, a minority (4%) state they took a taxi because 'public transport is not within walking distance' (see table 7).

Table 8 Decision to use a taxi

Q16 Which of the following factors were important in your decision to travel by taxi?

Although the proportion of respondents stating they 'always use a taxi' is relatively low (7%), discussion group findings suggest that some perceive taxi use as a normal/acceptable means of travel. For example, Glasgow discussion group respondents state that it is standard practice to travel to Saughton House from Haymarket by taxi, while Pentland House respondents would normally travel between buildings by taxi when organising Ministerial sign off, and some Victoria Quay respondents state they use a taxi when travelling to the Parliament or Thistle House.

Some feel the cost of taxis is justifiable because of the salary time it saves and the fact you can hold a pre-meeting in the cab, while others feel strongly that taxi use is too expensive and should be cut down, perhaps by some policing mechanism.

In the division I work with, when they go to Saughton, they always us a taxi. Glasgow public transport user/walker

Perceived wisdom is just take a taxi because it's actually cheaper for SE [compared to the time it takes to walk / process people's claim for walking] Edinburgh public transport user/walker

Some are particularly critical of the use of taxis for short journeys, for example St Andrew's House to Parliament.

They think they should get taxis from here [St Andrew's House] to Parliament .. It's a ten minute walk! .. You've got to break down those perceptions. Cyclist

Many of the discussion group participants said they took taxis when travelling with colleague. Attitudes towards a more formal 'taxi sharing' system, however, were negative, with respondents feeling that it was 'unworkable' or wasted too much of their time to set up.

It's the old argument. Ten minutes of my time phoning around is costing more than the taxi. Victoria Quay car user

5.4 Booking tickets

Ordering tickets through administrative support is the most common method of booking tickets of all types, and few respondents usually book tickets themselves, except for the London Underground where one in five buy their own tickets.

Table 9 How do you normally book tickets for the following types of business travel? (Q20)
Base: All respondents who have booked these tickets types

However, there are concerns that the SE pays a 'premium' price for 'City Singles', 'Flexi tickets', and travel booked through Carlson Wagonlit. The general consensus is that the SE should be working to negotiate the best deal on prices and some people have booked their own flights through budget airlines, because they think Carlson Wagonlit ( CWT) costs too much.

It annoys me out of my head that if I booked it myself from the internet, some of these flights, particularly from Prestwick, are 99p. I could do the same flight through CWT and it's about £200. Glasgow public transport user/walker

It's quite expensive with CWT. I would say SE should maybe go for something cheaper. Glasgow public transport user/walker

Discussion group respondents also have mixed views on the use of first/standard class travel and open/fixed tickets. Some argue that first class is justifiable if it allows you to work during the journey, while others feel it is too expensive and that that allocation of first class travel is 'gradist'.

If you're travelling first class then it costs an extra £50 and you're getting an extra six or seven hours of work out of somebody, that's pretty good going. Cyclist

Some feel budget airlines are insufficiently reliable or flexible, while others feel travel should be as cheap as possible. There is also some confusion over what happens if you book a fixed ticket, but miss the return flight, with one respondent thinking you have to pay the difference yourself, while others think presume you can claim it back.

They said it would by my responsibility if I missed it .. we are being encouraged not to take open tickets for that reason. Victoria Quay car user

5.5 London travel

Around one in three respondents (36%) have travelled to London for business in the last 12 months. The majority of these people (77%) travelled by air for their last trip (outward journey), with 60% travelling to London on a day trip. The majority (71%) ordered their ticket through admin support.

In the discussion groups, respondents were given two London business trip scenarios to consider and this revealed a wide range of motivations behind their choice of air or rail. As with travel to work, time was one of the most important factors respondents consider. 'Value for money' for the SE was also a main concern, with respondents weighing up the cost of staying overnight versus travelling early in the morning and fact that they could work on the train, but might use up less salary time travelling by air. Other factors were more personal, including:

• Time spent away from home/family
• Fear of flying
• Proximity of home to station or airport
• Dislike of airport security
• Personal preference
• Ability to sleep on sleeper

The most important thing is the value for money thing to the tax payer, not just the cost of the flight against the cost of the train, but the cost of having someone travelling for eight hours on a train. Pentland House car user

The train I can work on. If I go first class I can sit and work. Victoria Quay car user

Another factor for me is cost to the department because going down in the morning means you don't actually stay the night in accommodation in London. Saughton House car user

It's the enjoyment factor of going down on a plane to be honest. Saughton House car user

In all discussion groups, a number of people questioned the sense in going to London for a meeting lasting only two hours, suggesting that video or telephone conferencing should be used instead. The majority of respondents are aware of the environmental impact of their travel choices, but for most this is not a main consideration.

I'm not sure the environment eco friendly thing would actually come into it. It's about how can I get there, what's the best option for me, cost for the department and in terms of your own personal time for working. Saughton House car user

I like to think in an eco way. I think it's a bonus that it's more eco friendly, but I don't think it's part of my consideration. Saughton House car user

I would have a dilemma about getting the plane. I think that very time you get a plane all the things you're doing in cycling, rather than bringing the car, that plane journey is sort of cancelling it all out. Cyclist

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