500th trip for lighting exec who lets train take the strain

A lighting industry executive who travels by public transport for sustainability reasons has just completed his 500th national trip by train.
Despite the fact that Cliffe Tribe, UK specification sales manager for wireless controls brand Casambi, regularly criss-crosses the country visiting customers, he declined a company car in 2020.
A rail enthusiast, Tribe decided to travel by train instead. ‘Into the twenty first century and as the years roll by with each winter getting wetter and warmer, it becomes more and more apparent that we are ignorantly doing our best to destroy the planet, says Tribe.
‘Our UK roads are becoming dangerously damaged and increasingly irreparable. The standard of driving has progressively worsened. This combination of climate change and navigating the roads to hell got me thinking.’
In 2020 Tribe, who lives in Bournemouth, got an opportunity to do something different when he joined Casambi. Previously he had to transport bulky luminaire samples, but Casambi products and small pieces of hardware.
‘On negotiating my employment package with Casambi I decided to say no to a company car and no to a fully taxed car allowance. I could drive my family Mini if I had to or cycle the three miles to Bournemouth Station where two trains an hour head to London from 05.15 in the morning.
‘There is also a direct train via Oxford and Birmingham each hour to Manchester from 06.30.’
Tribe says that with clever planning and early booking he could acquire some reasonably priced tickets. A rail card also helps with 33.3 per cent discounts for off peak travel.’
This week Tribe took his 500th major train journey, the 6.30am Bournemouth to London Waterloo.
Since January 2021 Tribe has travelled 59,728 miles and saved 7.6 tonnes of CO2 by not using a typical petrol car.
‘Another great benefit to travelling by rail is the fact that one can work, think and sleep on the train,’ says Tribe.
‘Whilst solitary in a car you can do little else bar steer, change gear, keep yourself alert and safe.
‘There are also added health benefits of walking much more between stations and destination offices. I regularly achieve 10,000 steps per day.’

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