BUSINESSES in South Buckinghamshire are being urged to draw up travel plans to help their workers leave cars at home.

Car sharing, biking, walking, using public transport or working from home just once a week would clear congestion and make every day like a school holiday on High Wycombe's streets.

That was the message that Bucks Economic Partnership, Wycombe District Council and Buckinghamshire County Council were trying to get across at their conference in Marlow entitled 'Traffic. Can We Carry on Like This?'.

Tony Edwards, chief executive of the economic partnership, said though no one could deny the supremacy of the car, it could be used in different ways.

Stefan Dimic, who drew up the county council's travel plan, said: "One day a week is every fifth car off the road. Why throw money into petrol stations?"

The main issues were:

CAR SHARE

Jette Peddie of Bucks Care Share where people register and their details are matched up with others on the list said congestion cost the UK economy £15 billion.

Oracle, the software firm based in Reading's Thames Valley Park, has car sharing incentives which include a taxi ride home if a things go wrong, parking close to the office, car valeting, talking books (one employee learned a foreign language that way) and cheap tax discs.

Paul Denley who organises Oracle's Commuter Centre also made the point that people who car shared tended to leave work at the correct time rather than hanging on late to gain Brownie points.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Wycombe district and the county council have both organised big discounts for people who go to work by bus and train and are registered on the travel plan. Their families are also eligible for the discounts. Mr Dimic said companies could do the same thing for their workers.

Wycombe is also in the process of organising a shuttle taxi-bus from Cressex business park and Wycombe Hospital to the railway station. Many workers would get a train, if it were not for the prospect of the long walk from Wycombe station and back.

CYCLING AND WALKING

Most people live within a mile or so of work, so could walk or cycle, but good facilities at work such as showers and safe bike racks are a must, said Mr Dimic.

The county council has targeted people living close to work and pointed out that it is actually quicker to walk than to get the car out, drive through the jams and then park and walk to the office

HOME WORKING

An alternative which means staff do not waste time in jams and are not constantly interrupted by phone calls. Two days work could be done in one, said Mr Dimic.