Guidance notes for business grant scheme application form Introduction The Travelchoice Business Grant Scheme provides organisations with 50% funding up to 3,000 per organisation towards the cost and installation of infrastructural measures to aid sustainable travel. The aim is to help and encourage local businesses to provide the infrastructure necessary to facilitate sustainable travel. The grant scheme is aimed at organisations which have an existing workplace travel plan or wish to develop one on a voluntary basis with Travelchoice. Please note: Please note you must match the amount you are requesting. Additionally, you are free to use more of your own money should you wish, e.g., if you wanted to spend 7000 on infrastructure improvements we would provide a maximum of 3000 and you would be required to fund the 4000 remaining. Conversely, if your works were to cost 2000, we would only be able to give funding of 1000. Measures may include; Cycle parking Cycle shelter/cage Showers Lockers Car share signs and marking for car share only bays Drying rooms Electric vehicle charging posts Signage for cyclists and pedestrians Applications to the Travelchoice Business Grant Scheme must comply with these guidelines in order to be considered for a grant.
How to apply Applications to the Travelchoice business grant scheme must comply with these guidelines in order to be considered for a grant. The application process involves 2 steps: 1. Please complete and submit Application Form 1 first. 2. Travelchoice will shortlist the applications based on the information submitted. If your application is successful, Travelchoice will contact you and send Application Form 2. Eligibility This requires more detail, such as site drawings and proof of planning permission. 1. Demonstrating demand Organisations applying for a grant towards the cost and installation of hard infrastructure will need to prove that there is demand for the infrastructure at the site in question. Proof can be provided in the form of any one of the following; Staff survey results (within the last 12 months) that indicate that poor facilities are a barrier to sustainable travel or there is sufficient demand for more facilities Cycle parking counts Assessment of shower facilities Evidence to show a significant number of staff that would consider car sharing if there were dedicated bays Additional anecdotal evidence 2. Obligations Businesses participating in the Travelchoice Business Grant Scheme must commit to implementing a robust travel plan and demonstrate senior management support, as a condition of being awarded the business grant. Specifically, the beneficiary organisation must agree to fulfil the obligations listed below: 1.1 Developing and implementing a full travel plan for your key sites 2.1 Informing Travelchoice about your organisation s pilot travel plan, and submitting your draft to Travelchoice for comments before your final draft is created. 3.1 Conduct an annual staff travel to work survey and submit the results to Travelchoice 3.2 Sending annual updates of your organisation s travel plan to Travelchoice. 4.1 Entering your organisation into the Annual Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Travel Plan Awards for the two consecutive years after receiving a grant. 4.1 Committing to running yearly promotional events for staff pertaining to sustainable travel - such as Bike Week and Walk to Work Week 5.1 Completing the relevant processes if planning permission or permission from the landlord is required.
3. Match-funding Organisations applying for the grant can only apply for 50% of the total cost of infrastructure, the other 50% must be match funded by the organisation. 4. Putting in the infrastructure Carrying out the works is the responsibility of the organisation applying for the grant; Peterborough City Council can take no responsibility for completing the works, liaising with the landlord or applying for planning permission. 5. Provision of cost-breakdown If your preliminary application is accepted, details of the cost -including quotes and a full cost breakdown, need to be submitted with Application Form 2. 6. Cycle parking If the proposal is to install cycle parking the cycle parking must comply with the Peterborough Cycle Parking Guidelines and be in line with local plan standards. Any bids for cycle parking that are not in line with local plan standards will not be accepted. Cycle parking must be; Covered and secure in a cycle shelter that is lockable. Sheffield stands (for organisations with restricted space it may be possible to install different type stands, please discuss this with Travelchoice before completing the application form). Be easily accessible located near to the entrance of your organisation Further guidance on the type, location and spacing of cycle stands is available online at http://travelchoice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/tc-cycling-infrastructurecycleparkingguidelines.pdf. Please check with Travelchoice if you have any questions. Disqualifying factors Organisations will not be considered for the grant if: The infrastructure is required as part of a planning obligation or a larger planning permission for the site Planning permission for the site/building is required but has not been granted because of a lack of facilities for sustainable transport Permission from the landlord and planning permission from Peterborough City Council s planning department for the infrastructure has been applied for but not been granted in the past. Infrastructure is not in line with local plan standards Acceptance process Travelchoice holds the final decision in allocating the grant. Decisions will be based on whether applications meet the essential criteria in the grant scoring system. To be considered for the grant all questions must be completed for both applications and the essential criteria included and agreed to. On years with heavy numbers of applications, it is possible that some successful applicants will be asked to wait till the next annual grant period until they are awarded their grant. Grants will be postponed on a discretionary basis, with full disclosure to the applicant.
Business Grant Scheme Application Form 1 This form is to be completed in accordance with the Travelchoice grant scheme guidance. The application form is step 1 of a 2 part application process. If your organisation is shortlisted, further details will be required in the second application form. Please contact travelchoice@peterborough.gov.uk or 01733 747474 if you require any help with completing this application form. Your organisation Organisation Name: Contact Name: Tel: Position: Email: Address: Postcode: Number of employees: Please enclose evidence that there is demand for the infrastructure (e.g. site audit, staff travel survey results from within the last 12 months, requests for improvements). Site audit and/or staff travel survey results from within the last 12 months We are the landowners of the building Evidence the landlord has been approached in the first instance for infrastructure improvements (letter/email) Additional information (please list)..
Existing facilities Please outline the existing facilities in your organisation. Questions Answers Number of cycle parking stands Type of cycle parking (e.g. Sheffield stands, butterfly clips) Are the stands covered/secure? Location of cycle parking Number of car parking spaces Allocated car share only bays Number of showers Number of lockers Proposed facilities Please outline the facilities you are bidding for along with an estimated cost (the total amount per organisation which can be applied for is 3,000) Please provide a brief summary of the demand for proposed infrastructure and refer to any attached information as necessary (identified through staff survey, car park counts, and site audit of existing facilities) Infrastructure (type, number and brief description) Estimated Cost