As befits an environmental organisation like the National Trust we are working hard to make travel to all of our properties easier and less car dependant for both visitors and staff.

With around 450 people working at Heelis, the central office is a key part of the green travel policy and we would like to keep unnecessary and environmentally unsound travel for staff and visitors to an absolute minimum.

A conscious decision was taken at the design stage to provide the new building with very few car parking spaces. Most of these spaces are reserved for those who subscribe to the formal car share scheme and the high cost of alternative parking in the area encourages people who don't car share to use alternative means to get to and from work.

Even our visitors are encouraged to use public transport to get to Heelis.

© National Trust / Adam Moore

Swindon has excellent public transport connections and the location for Heelis is significant in that it is located within a short walk of the train and bus stations. National Trust staff buses also run to and from Cirencester and Westbury every day so that people who moved from some of the old offices don't need to drive.

Anyone who lives within 5km (3.1ml) of Heelis is encouraged to walk or cycle, use public transport or use transport with low environmental impact such as motorbikes and mopeds. They cannot park their cars at Heelis.

This green transport policy would not work without the support of the National Trust which allows flexible working and occasional working from home options and offers staff walking and cycling maps, bus and train timetables and season ticket loans.

There are also showers and lockers for walkers, cyclists and runners, storage for bicycles and parking for motorbikes and mopeds.