Evaluation

Evaluation

The RTA’s North Sydney office encourages active living in a number of ways, making it convenient for employees to use public transport for their daily commute, and providing them with a range of options for undertaking physical activity in close proximity to their workplace. It is a good example of a workplace that fulfils the PCAL design objectives for workplaces, namely to provide:

• well-designed and located workplaces which are accessible to public transport, walking and cycling networks
• easy access to alternative methods of travel to workplaces so that car trips for commuting and business are reduced
• infrastructure and facilities that encourage changes in travel behaviour

The office is located at the hub of a public transport network and in close proximity to a wide range of services accessible by walking and cycling. It provides a range of infrastructure and facilities that encourage employees to choose healthier modes of transport. The preparation for the relocation, including the development of clear and context-specific travel information, and the provision of facilities for people walking and cycling to the office are further significant measures for encouraging staff to increase their active living in relation to their workplace. There is some evidence that these measures have been successful – a staff survey conducted one month after the relocation showed a 7 per cent increase in the uptake of active transport (walking, cycling and public transport).

The office (and the management of the relocation process) illustrates a number of the specific design considerations set out in the ‘Workplaces’ section of Designing Places for Active Living. These include:

• Make public transport an easy option, by increasing awareness of public transport, planning clearly signed, safe (eg well-lit) and direct routes to public transport stops within a short walking distance of workplaces. Bus stops should be attractive, well maintained and secure with appropriate route and timetable information provided

Bus and train services are provided within a short walking distance of the office. Access to these services is via the sheltered pedestrian network between Greenwood Plaza and the North Sydney Railway station. All these facilities have been recently renovated and are co-located with essential services and retail outlets.

The RTA provides an additional incentive for staff to use public transport for their travel to work, by offering permanent employees the opportunity to purchase an annual travel pass ticket (which offers significant savings over single ticket travel) without having to pay for it in advance. The RTA purchases the passes and the cost is deducted in small installments from staff members’ fortnightly pay.

• Encourage access by all modes of transport through site layout that balances the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, buses as well as driver comfort and visibility.

The location and layout of the office provides convenient pedestrian connections to train and bus services at the North Sydney Interchange. This allows staff members to avoid crossing a very busy road between their office and the Interchange. For cyclists, convenient access is provided to the secure basement parking area.

• Provide secure, well-lit and sheltered bicycle parking within (or close to) buildings. Wherever possible, this should be within a building’s secure car park. Bicycle parking should be more conveniently positioned (ie closest to entrance) than any other employee car parking, except accessible spaces.

Existing bicycle parking facilities located within the basement car park of the office were significantly upgraded as part of the relocation. Bicycle-parking facilities, with racks accommodating up to 123 bicycles, now occupy a fenced area accessible via a swipe card. This combines high levels of security with easy and convenient access.

• Provide for the comfort of walkers and cyclists through the provision of end-of-trip facilities such as shower, changing and locker facilities. Additional equipment should be provided such as irons, hairdryers, rails for drying clothes, spare bicycle repair tools, or company umbrellas for use on rainy days. These facilities also benefit other building users.

Shower and locker facilities are located within a short walking distance of the secure bicycle parking area. There are also showers and lockers on each of the eleven levels occupied by the RTA.

• Provide direct, safe and pleasant walking and cycling paths which are well signed to (and on) the company site, as described in the ‘Walking and cycling routes’ Guideline.

Walking and cycling routes to the North Sydney office are shown in online and printed versions of the office Transport Access Guide (TAG). Routes for staff members who ride or walk to work were identified based on amenity, levels of fitness, connections to public transport and safety. This information was provided by staff members, and tested by other RTA staff. For instance, a decision to choose the ferry wharf at McMahon Point rather than Milson Point as the suggested walking route was based on an assessment about the grade of slope that people would be walking up, and the opportunity to use public transport from the McMahon Point wharf. Information about cycling routes and resources, such as local bicycle user groups and associations, is also provided on the staff intranet.

The location of the office provides staff with many opportunities for safe and pleasant walks before or after work, or during lunch breaks, with a number of local parks and the harbour foreshore within walking distance.

• Manage the location, supply and availability of parking to support walking, cycling and public transport. Provide car park near to building entries for allocation to staff who carpool or car share.

The majority of car parking spaces are allocated to pool vehicles that are shared by employees for work-related travel. There are a limited number of designated parking spaces for particular employees with RTA cars; use of these requires the approval of senior management. Parking is provided for people with mobility impairment.

• Ensure that staff and visitors are aware of alternative ways of getting to the workplacethrough the publication of a Transport Access Guide (TAG). Be creative in how this information is publicised, such as on the back of business cards, the workplace website or in email footers.

The RTA produced an extensive and user-friendly online Transport Access Guide for the North Sydney office. This is available on the staff intranet and includes clear information about how to access the office by walking, cycling, bus, train and ferry. Decisions about using public transport are made easier with the provision of detailed information about timetables, routes and the cost of fares http://www.transmarketing.com.au/TAG/home.html.

The input of staff as commuters is a notable feature of the TAG. Employees who commute by train provided information for other staff travelling from areas without a direct connection to the North Sydney line. This included advice about how to avoid congestion points at Redfern, Town Hall and Central stations. Staff members who cycle to work provided advice about the routes they take to North Sydney, and this information assisted with decisions about negotiating the streets closest to the North Sydney office.

The TAG was also produced as an A4 printed document for use by staff, visitors and RTA customers. The RTA’s public website also incorporates the 131 500 Trip Planner which provides comprehensive assistance to people visiting the RTA by public transport http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/usingroads/using_public_transport.html.

These information strategies are part of an ongoing program of developing Transport Access Guides (TAGs) for all RTA offices.

• Integrate a range of services (such as cafes, ATMs, and childcare) on-site or within walking distance to encourage linked trips.

The location of so many services within walking distance is a highly positive feature of the new office. The office is located directly above Greenwood Plaza, which provides a wide range of shops and services, from food and retail outlets to ATMs, banking and newsagents. Other shops and services, including childcare, banking facilities, post offices, gyms and exercise facilities are located nearby,  meaning that a very large range of services and amenities are either on-site or within walking distance of the office. There is also a café in the ground floor lobby.

• Ensure that the building’s design and site layout incorporates features which encourage walking. This includes making stairs attractive and easy to access, as well as opening up pathways across buildings and sites. Open spaces should also be provided which support physical activity by staff.

The building is easily accessible for pedestrians entering from the street, railway station and Greenwood Plaza, and the ground floor provides a welcoming environment for those accessing the building by foot.

The building fire stairs are easily accessible for employees choosing to walk between floors rather than take the lift.

The relocation has also improved the opportunities for staff and clients to engage in physical activity before or after work, as the office is within easy and pleasant walking distance of various areas of attractive public open space.

• Integrate workplaces into mixed use urban centres, well served by public transport. Avoid dispersed, isolated locations because they can only be reached by car and incur significant community and environmental costs.

The new office is housed in an existing building in a well-established mixed use urban centre, well served by public transport and providing convenient access to a wide range of services. The ability to access childcare, health and fitness facilities, grocery shopping and other essential services also helps staff members to reduce the number of trips that they take by private vehicle, as they are able to combine these activities with their commute by public transport, walking or cycling.

The RTA has a number of workplaces in different parts of Sydney and the location of the head office in North Sydney means it is easy to use public transport to move between these workplaces.