Bringing Aycliffe Business Park Together | 23
Staff from Sabre Rail Services and North East Laboratory
Supplies join Travel Ranger Steve Shepperson on the
weekly stroll around Aycliffe Business Park
A WALK IN THE
PARK FOR STAFF
By Martin Walker
Employees on Aycliffe Business Park are taking to the roads as part of an
innovative project to encourage sustainable transport.
Steve Shepperson is heading up the Local
Motion project for Newton Aycliffe, with
the primary aim of making it easier to
walk, cycle and take public transport in the
South of the county.
Steve has successfully taken several
initiatives into companies on Aycliffe
Business Park, such as the Watt Bike
Challenge, where staff raced against each
other on an electric cycling machine, and
the Smoothie Bike experience, when
employees and business owners could
create their own smoothie by riding a
specially-made bicycle.
Now he’s holding weekly strolls around
the park, encouraging workers to get out
of the office for half-an-hour once a week.
Employees from Sabre Rail Services,
North East Laboratory Supplies and
Prefere Resins are now actively taking
part, with on average 6-10 people enjoying
a short walk every Thursday lunchtime.
“It’s a fantastic way to get away from
the office, get some fresh air and some
exercise,” says Travel Ranger Steve.
“It’s not just about using sustainable
transport to get to and from work, it’s
encouraging exercise and doing something
useful with your spare time or lunch break.
“We’re getting some great engagement
from local businesses and employees -
everyone seems to really enjoy it.
“There has also been quite a bit of
discussion between North East Laboratory
Supplies and Prefere Resins, with the staff
discovering that their companies actually
do a lot of work with each other, so it’s
been really good for the people to put
faces to names.”
Sabre Rail staff Claire Turnbull, Emily
Bradley, Daniel Wright, James Skitt,
Darren Pratt, Ashwin Kumar, Taiwo Oseni
and Andrew Taylor have been regularly
taking part in the walks.
Daniel said: “The walk is a good way of
doing something away from the work
environment with colleagues from Sabre
and the added opportunity to meet others
from within the Business Park, even
though it might be for only 20 minutes it
is a pleasant stroll taking in the developing
area.
“I hope to meet other pe