Sustainable travel management

Sustainable travel management aims to provide as many alternatives to single occupancy vehicle (SOV) use as possible through improvements to infrastructures for cycling, walking, car-sharing and the use of public transport. Additional aims include relieving pressure on existing car parking spaces and allowing for aspects of the University’s ‘Development Framework Plan’ proposals to go forward. In 2008, a ‘Travel Plan Framework’ was produced that recommended the production of a full 5-year Travel Plan and the recruitment of person to deliver it. A Sustainable Travel Officer commenced in post in June 2009. A Sustainable Travel Implementation Group (STIG) has been established to oversee the Travel Plan process.

Strategic objectives for this area are to:
• Produce a five-year travel action plan in 2010/11;
• Capture commuter and business travel data for carbon footprinting purposes;
• Set targets for the following once a baseline is established by the travel plan:
– Increase in cycle commuting and for work business by staff and students;
– Increase in public transport commuting and for work business and study purposes;
– Per capita increase of lockable cycle storage at University sites;
– Decrease the numbers of car permits allocated;
– Increase in walking to work;
– Decrease in commuter and business travel related carbon emissions;
– Adoption of lower carbon fuels in University vehicles.

Advantages of operating the Plan should be improved access to the University with ample alternatives to single car occupancy provided. The Plan will ultimately be self-financing.