Mobility management at Ede Business Area

Location

The town council of Ede, in close co-operation with businesses and the Province of Gelderland, is engaged in the sustainable development of its existing industrial parks (Heestereng, Frankeneng, Kievitsmeent and De Vallei) in the rural area between Ede en Veenendaal, at the edge of the suburbs.  Bordering directly on existing industrial parks, a new regional, sustainable business park is being developed within the framework of ISEV (Inter-provincial Spatial planning projection for Ede-Veenendaal). To see a detailed map of the location, click here.

Mobility profile

Numbers of travellers
Presently, 12.000 people are working at the Ede business parks. Together with the new industrial parks, the total industrial area will include about 1,000 acres, where some 20 a 25,000 people will find employment in 2020.

Origin of travellers
56% of the staff live more than 10 km from their work (2005).

Modal split
 

Most employees arrive by car (61,5%), a slight increase compared to 2005. The share of cycling decreased by 4%, whereas the use of the train doubled. For more information, see the report on the after measurement at Ede Business Areas (in Dutch).   

The car ratio (a figure that expresses the ratio between the number of cars in commuter traffic and the number of staff in a company) in Ede is 68, significantly higher than the average in Gelderland (50) or the Netherlands (48).

Working hours
70 of the 126 responding companies have regular office hours. This means that of a total of 3,800 workers, nearly 1,600 work regular hours.

Accessibility profile 

By car
At present, the business parks enjoy excellent external accessibility. The completion of the A30 motorway was instrumental in achieving this (see News letter January 2005).

By public transportation
The nearest railway station (Ede-Wageningen) is about 2-5 kilometers away from the business area. Various buslines (84, 85) supply the business areas, see for more information www.bereikbaarede.nl

By bike
There are some missing sections in the bicycle network. A tunnel for cyclists under the railway is foreseen.

Only 9,3% of the employees is (very) discontent with the accessibility of Ede business areas and over 76% is either content or very content with accessibility in 2007. In 2005 employees were even more content (88%), see the report on the after measurement at Ede Business Areas (in Dutch).   The average travel time has increased by 2 minutes to 26 minutes in the period 2005-2007.      

Institutional context

The town council of Ede, in close co-operation with businesses and the Province of Gelderland, is engaged in the sustainable development of Ede Business Area within the framework of ISEV (Inter-provincial Spatial planning projection for Ede-Veenendaal).

It was considered to oblige companies who buy land to draw up a transport plan, as laid down in the policy formulation for Ede Business Areas. The mobility facility point would draw up this transport plan free of charge. This obligation was aimed at making companies more aware of the mobility aspect and to draw them into discussions on this subject.
Unfortumately, the city council didn’t agree with the proposal, because they were afraid to put of businesses that thought of settling at Ede business parks.

In the case of the existing business parks, integration was achieved by linking the mobility facility point to the park management organisation which was set up in 2005. It was agreed, for the new business parks, that mobility would be an optional service in the park management run by the association of owner-occupiers. It turned out not to be feasible to include mobility in the basic service package. Instead, it was agreed that the mobility facility point offers its services to companies free of charge in the period 2005-2008.  

Motivation for mobility management 

The business parks in western Ede will eventually together have an area of 1,000 acres. By then, 25,000 people will be working there. Given the size of this area, accessibility is an important issue. The aim is to optimise the accessibility of the entire business area by thinking about possible solutions, together with the businesses, in the early stages of the plan development.

In a simulation survey, the accessibility of the business area has been assessed. The results show that the main entrance to the ISEV business parks cannot cope. The survey also shows that the problem of traffic flow at the junction with the national road A30 is bound to grow worse in the future.The town of Ede therefore intends to work actively with the private sector in its aim to guarantee accessibility in the future as well. It has opted for a sound approach by launching an accessibility campaign. The aim is to:

• Achieve good accessibility, now and in the future.
• Encourage the use of bicycles, public transport, collective transport and carpooling.
• Create a safe traffic situation.

Bus and other public transport improvements

In co-operation with the public transport company, the Djopper system was introduced. Minibuses pick up workers at their homes and bring them back again, for the same fare as public transport. On 6 June 2005 Djopper transport started for the firm Deli XL. At the moment there are 9 minibuses on the road (aim in the long run is 15). The system’s strength lies in the fact that the company employees pick each other up on the way to and drop each other off on the way from work. This makes transport cheap, fast and comfortable. The Djopper service will be continued during the whole period of concession till 2010.
Regrettably, employees have showed a limited interest in the Djopper. Also, research has shown that the Djopper is valuated at 5.2 , the lowest score of all activities within OPTIMUM² .For more information see the report on the after measurement at Ede Business Areas (in Dutch).  

Since September 2007 roadworks are taking place on the A12 between Arnhem and Nijmegen, a crucial connection for many Ede (transport) companies. The mobility service point - together with the city council of Ede - has pressed the national road authorities to arrange for additional public transportation to and from railway stations. The existing bus lines (84, 85) have therefore been intensivied. Also, a new shuttle bus was implemented which has a good connection to the intercity trains at station De Klomp (Veenendaal). With this, the accessibility of the business areas of Ede has substantially increased. After a wavering start, the shuttle is increasingly used by commuters. Right now, the mobility service point is busy promoting the shuttle with the companies at the Ede business areas.

Research shows that the shuttle bus is beste valuated (7,7) by the employees of all measures that have been implemented within the context of OPTIMUM²! For more information see the report on the after measurement at Ede Business Areas (in Dutch).  

Promoting cycling

It turns out that many workers live within 7.5 km of their work at the business park. Only a small number of them now come to work by bicycle. Improving the infrastructure for cyclists will encourage using bicycles as a means of commuting. A survey has been made into the missing sections in the network of bicycle paths. This has resulted in the proposal to build a tunnel for cyclists under the railway.

The database on collective biking systems (in Dutch) was finished in the first half of 2006. The database offers a state-of-the-art overview on all operational biking systems. As a result, a flexible and innovative biking system was implemented in December 2007, that offers pool bikes to commuters on 7 different locations. 20 pool bikes are available at two railway stations, at the other locations (bus stops and other public transport junctions) bike lockers have been installed with room for 4 bikes each. It is possible to collect and leave your bike at different locations, which is unique in the Netherlands.  

In Ede it is felt that that the link between health and cycling shoul be emphasized. Research shows that fit employees are more productive and are less absent due to sickness. At the Ede business site, 50 employers of 2 companies entered a health contest in a specially designed bus. It appeared that many employees were not in a good shape; consequently they were advised to cycle more often to work. Before, during adn after the promotion activities, bicycle use was measured by a transmitter on the bike and a receiver in the company bike shed. The campaign turned out to be quite successful: the bike use by these employees increased by 28%!

Parking management

In the new Ede Business Parks, central parking has been discussed and laid down in a proposal appointing terms and conditions for park management in the allocation contract . This will make it possible to use the available space more efficiently and will incite businesses to be more aware of how they use cars. The central parking lot should be supervised by a parking manager.

Unfortunately, the town council has disapproved of the proposal and it was rejected. Companies will not be obliged to use a central parking lot, but instead, can buy their own parking lots next to their buildings.  

Research shows that 80% (2007) of the employers feel that available parking facilities are adequate compared tot 70% in 2005, see also report on the after measurement Employers at Ede Business Areas (in Dutch).      

Combining measures

Website
A website has been developed (see www.bereikbaarede.nl) which offers on-line mobility information about Ede business areas to employees and employers. Only 7% of the emplyees is aware of the website. For more information see the report on the after measurement at Ede Business Areas (in Dutch).  

Mobility facility point
The mobility facility was established in 2005 and offers services and products in the mobility field for companies and their staff. The mobility facility point is staffed by an accessibility agent who has an office in the business area. The facility point can be contacted by phone during week-days. For more information on the facility point, click here (in Dutch).  The previously held (baseline) survey revealed that there are good leads for developing customised solutions. From the after measurement it became that the mobility service point is highly valuated and well known by employees. For more information see the report on the after measurement at Ede Business Areas (in Dutch).  Also, half of the employers thinks it is improtant to continue the mobility service point, see report on the after measurement Employers at Ede Business Areas (in Dutch).   

End of 2007 an evaluation with the association of owner-occupiers and the city council took place.  Sadly, it has been decided to shut down the mobility service point.

Mobility management process

The province of Gelderland was the partner in the OPTIMUM² project; the city of Ede is actually supervising the project. An external project leader was appointed to run the project day-to-day.

The steering group of OPTIMUM² was composed of the city of Ede and the province of Gelderland and met twice a year. The project group of OPTIMUM²  was composed of various working groups linked to the various measures and met 6 times a year. During the period of OPTIMUM² plans and measures have been discussed with 9 major companies.

Downside of the project is that some crucial parts of the projectplan have been rejected by the city council, such as compulsory central parking and the obligation for companies that want to settle at Ede business parks to write a mobility plan. On the other hand, without OPTIMUM² mobility management would not have discussed at all.

Due to the absence of acute mobility problems (they will arise though in another 10 years), companies are and stay reluctant to think about mobility management. Companies tend to have a perspective that does not exceed 3-4 years.
It was difficult to raise commitment from companies for each and every mobility measure. As a positive development a renewed interest in the environment can be noted, companies are contemplating their ecological footprint.

Marketing and communication 

The broad, demand-driven approach towards accessability of the Ede business areas has been divided into four phases:

• Phase 1: raise internal enthousiasm;
• Phase 2: external cooperation;
• Phase 3: to recruit ambassadors;
• Phase 4: participating in the broad approach.

Important ingredients that can be found in each and every phase of the strategy, are (1) a smart target group approach, (2) a dynamic and positive message and (3) an optimal mix of push- en pull instruments. 
Each phase has been laid down in a mix of communication measures, in which distinction is made between direct marketing and advertising. See also ‘Strategisch Marketing- en communicatieplan OPTIMUM² project Ede (in Dutch).

Furthermore, a distinction was made between internal and external target groups. 

Target market(s) internally:

• City of Ede: project leaders work groups, officials, municipal executives, the city council, project group OPTIMUM²;
• Province of Gelderland: officials, provincial executives.

 Target market(s) externally:

• Property developers;
• Companies that have settled or think about settling at Ede business area: directors and facility managers;
• employees with companies that have settled or think about settling at Ede business area;
• Ede’s bedrijfscontact en Stichting Gemeenschappelijke Belangen Bedrijventerreinen;
• Suppliers, visitors and neighbouring people;
• Chamber of Commerce;
• Press;
• Surrounding cities/towns;
• Region De Vallei.

Contact

Would you like to know more about mobility management at Ede business areas?

Please contact: Rolf Schuurman (rbm.schuurman@inter.net.nl) or

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