STAGGERED HOURS IN INDUSTRY AND THEIR EFFECT ON TRANSPORT

The demand for traffic space in urban areas normally exceeds capacity only during relatively short morning and evening peak periods. If a substantial number of employees started their journeys to and from work a few minutes earlier or later, the concentration of traffic would be deployed over much more time and road space. Such a programme involves no expenditure, results in more reliability, shorter journey times, less frustration and also has distinct advantages for public transport - both user and operator. This paper examines the present situation, both in the UK and abroad. A survey is described showing that resistance to changing hours is often due to apathy. Some prominent examples of staggered hours are described, where significant results have been achieved on quite a large scale. Further interest in now developing particularly in the area of school times. The other field which is attracting increasing attention is the concept, originated in Germany, of sliding times or flexible hours. There are new over half a million whitecollar workers in Germany, operating on this system. It involves a fixed period of attendance, say 9 AM to 3 PM, with employees choosing their own times of starting and finishing outside these times. Employees both like the system and benefit from it; there is a substantial spreading and levelling out of the peak periods. (covering abstract of conference proceedings is IRRD abstract no 208768).