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How did you get to work today?

Warwickshire County Council recently threw down the sustainable gauntlet to employees to come up with the most green way of travelling to work.

Council workers rose to the challenge, with many demonstrating the lengths they go to in order to help protect the environment during their daily commute.

In a bid to promote more sustainable travel to work, including walking, cycling and car sharing, the county council’s sustainable travel team put together prizes for those who could demonstrate the steps they were taking over a week long period.

The ‘most sustainable commuter’ at Warwickshire County Council, was Richard Scannell, a senior analyst programmer with the local authority, who in a single week demonstrated his regular commute walking his son to and from school each day before cycling to work.

The ‘most effort to commute sustainably’ award went to both Alison Insley who works for Library Services, and Phil Jones a Watch Manager with Community Protection. Phil cycles 20 miles to work each day, while over the week Alison car shared two days, cycled two days and walked to work one day.

Prizes also went to car sharers around the county who make the effort to link up for the regular commute.

Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “Car sharers and all sustainable commuters do a sterling job. They reduce local air pollution, reduce climate changing carbon emissions as well as reducing the number of cars on our roads and therefore horrible traffic jams.

“Our car share week demonstrated just what is possible and thanks to our regular commuters and those who made a special effort during the week, displayed how it easy it is to travel in a far more environmentally friendly way. To recognise the efforts of many of the sustainable travellers we had prizes with £10 Halfords gift vouchers and goody bags.”

Prizes were based on those who commuted in the most sustainable way as well as those who made most effort to car share or travel sustainably. Owners of cars parked in car share spaces in Cape Road and Barrack Street were also lucky enough to win the prizes as well as a regular car sharer at Saltisford.

For more information on travelling in a ‘greener’ way in Warwickshire visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/travelwise