Astral Ltd Active Travel grant story
Astral Ltd in Sheerness, on the Isle of Sheppey, is a small, family run construction business established in 1989. The company has built a strong reputation for delivering reliable, high quality construction services, underpinned by long standing community presence.
Most employees live locally and the workplace is centrally located in Sheerness, near to Sheerness-on-Sea railway station, making active travel a realistic option for many staff.
With the Active Travel business grant support, the company has purchased 4 shared pool e-bikes for staff use, including all required safety equipment. While this is more common for larger companies, this is very innovative for a smaller construction firm.
The company has further supported active travel by funding:
- secure cycle storage
- e-bike charging facilities
- shower and changing facilities.
The aims of the project are to improve staff wellbeing by increasing options for active travel plus reducing the company’s emissions. As a long established local business, Astral Ltd is well placed to act as a visible and credible example for other small businesses in Sheerness.
For one staff member who previously had to walk over two miles each day, the e-bike has been life-changing. He now travels safely, comfortably and with the right PPE.
“The grant has made a real difference to our team. It’s enabled us to provide bikes, safety equipment and storage facilities so our staff can travel to work and carry out their duties more efficiently. This support has genuinely improved accessibility and day-to-day working conditions for our team.”