Transport and Travel

Concern for the environment has influenced the University’s Sustainable Travel Plan which can be found here. This is in the process of being updated. All staff, students and visitors are encouraged to be as ‘green’ as possible when travelling to and from all the University sites.

Using more sustainable forms of transport will help the University to be more environmentally-responsible and reduce its carbon footprint by improving local air quality, curbing traffic congestion and reducing the pressure on local on-street parking. 

Current initiatives promoted by the University to encourage sustainable travel include:

• Promotion of a car-sharing scheme for staff
• Introduction of a 'Cycle2Work' scheme to enable members of staff to purchase bicycles at a discount through a salary sacrifice scheme
• Improvement of cycle storage facilities – there are over 300 cycle parking spaces on St John’s Campus and 38 additional secure spaces are planned in the new residential development
• Regular 'Dr Bike' surgeries held on St John’s Campus and the opportunity to buy very reasonably-priced, reconditioned bicycles from a local social enterprise organisation
• Actively discouraging students living on the campus or within a one-mile radius of it from driving their cars to or around the University
• A staff and student cycle user group
• ‘Bus Fairs’ held at the start of each semester in conjunction with First Bus to promote the use of bus travel in and around Worcester
• Free bus tickets are available for staff and students to encourage them to use public transport

The revised Sustainable Travel Plan will incorporate the plans for sustainable travel between St John’s Campus and the new City Campus. It will set out objectives and targets to address all campus-related transport issues. 

Our EcoCampus targets for 2009/10 are to:

• Increase by 3% the proportion of staff and students who cycle and walk as part of their journey to the campus from the baseline data obtained in 2007
• Ensure that the potential growth in numbers of staff and students does not lead to a proportionate increase in the use of car travel
• Raise awareness of the Travel Plan throughout the student and staff population, and local residents
• Check understanding through the travel surveys and seek a response rate of at least 50% of the staff population and 30% of students
• Reduce the car mileage claims by 3% per annum from the baseline of Summer 2008

How are we going to achieve these targets?

In order to achieve our quantitative targets, the following objectives have recently been approved by the University’s Environment Committee:

• Encourage staff and students to use sustainable transport
• Implement sustainable transport schemes such as car share/shuttle bus
• Monitor the use of sustainable transport measures
• Establish detailed targets for enhanced sustainable transport use by the end of 2009
• Review the car park charging structure to encourage sustainable travel
• Ensure that the potential growth in numbers of staff and students does not lead to a proportionate increase in the use of car travel
• Retain the number of campus car parking spaces at 2007 levels, unless on-street parking by UW users leads to significant complaints
• Include specific targets for sustainable travel in all development plans
• Review the use of the University’s current transport services
• Ensure compatibility of the Sustainable Travel Plan with other externally organised traffic management initiatives

Cycle Facilities at UW

There is a Cycle to Work scheme for members of staff who can now lease a bike through the University for a period of 12 months with the option of buying it at the end for a small fee, saving up to 40% on the retail price of a bike.

Students and staff may request allocated secure cycle storage from the Facilities Department - please contact Maryse Thueux m.thueux@worc.ac.uk, for an application form.  The maximum period of let is for 12 months from 01 August to 31 July in any one year after which time the application has to be renewed.

The University has increased the number of cycle stores throughout the St John’s Campus. Please visit our Facilities for Cyclists page to find out more.

Motov8

From September 2009 and continuing every Wednesday in term time 'Motov8', a Worcester-based registered social enterprise charity, runs a bike shop between 12pm and 2pm from Cycle Store 1 located in Avon Halls, opposite Woodbury. This store is clearly marked on the campus map. 

The shop stocks reconditioned bikes at very competitive rates, together with accessories such as padlocks and helmets.  A cycle servicing scheme for staff and students is also available and can be pre-booked.. 

To find out more about Motov8, please visit their website.

Walking

Since the plans for the new City Campus were confirmed, the University has been working closely with Worcestershire County Council on a programme of works to improve walking and cycling facilities between City Campus and St John’s Campus.

A new cycle path on the top of the bund flood protection bund will be created and the lighting improved. The footpath around the south end of Pitchcroft to link the bund to Croft Road will also incorporate a cycle path.

In time, a signalised crossing will be installed on Croft Road from the racecourse to the City Campus.