Sustainable Travel Plan 2008-2012
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Contents
Page Number
1.0 Foreword .......................................................................................................3 2.0 Executive summary......................................................................................3 3.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................4 4.0 Current trends in travel................................................................................4 5.0 Future trends in travel..................................................................................7 6.0 Travel targets................................................................................................7 7.0 Implementation and monitoring..................................................................8 Appendix 1.0 .....................................................................................................10
Eyes on your saddle I have pedalled I have crossed I have journeyed Beyond myself
An extract from A Bicycle Designed in the Cell by Luis Veiga Leitao
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1.0 Foreword Almost 15 years have passed since the Oxford Transport Strategy (OTS) was adopted by the City and County Councils in 1993 with the wholehearted support of the University. Since then the OTS and subsequent transport plans have helped Oxford to meet the challenge of coping with planned growth in population and employment without increasing congestion and environmental degradation.
The University remains a key advocate of the vision that Oxford should continue to grow and prosper as long as the increased demand for travel is not met by car based travel alone. The University’s commitment to this vision is clear for all to see through the development of our estate with little or no car parking provision, the wealth of local initiatives we support to promote walking, cycling and public transport use and the results of recent travel surveys which indicate that between 1997 and 2007 the percentage of our staff that usually travel to work by car has halved.
The Sustainable Travel Plan for the period 2008-2012 reaffirms our commitment to reducing traffic and parking in the city centre and at the same time introduces new targets aimed at reducing the carbon dioxide emissions generated by business travel.
2.0 Executive summary The first University of Oxford staff travel plan was launched in 2003 with the aim of reducing traffic and parking in the city centre. Since then the percentage of staff usually travelling to and from work by private car has dropped from 28% in 2002 to 23% in 2007.
The University remains committed to discouraging unnecessary use of private motor transport and encouraging walking, cycling and public transport as suitable alternatives and has adopted a target to further reduce the percentage of staff usually travelling to and from work by car from 23% in 2007 to 18% in 2012.
The University is now launching its Sustainable Travel Plan for the period 2008–2012 containing a package of measures aimed at reducing the impact of travel on the environment and increasing a number of benefits to our staff.
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3.0 Introduction The University of Oxford Travel Policy is to increase the percentage of staff walking, cycling and using public transport to get to work and for business travel, and to encourage alternative methods to private motor vehicle and air travel for business purposes, where practical.
This Sustainable Travel Plan covers a five-year period between 2008 and 2012 and has the following objectives:
i.
to improve the choice of transport options and facilities available to staff travelling to and from the University, and between its sites
ii.
to discourage the unnecessary use of private motor vehicles by staff travelling to and from the University, and between its sites
iii.
to implement travel initiatives that reduce transport related carbon dioxide emissions
iv.
to improve the health and fitness of staff through the promotion of walking and cycling
The travel plan is dynamic and will develop with time and in accordance with the changing circumstances of the University and the environment in which it operates.
4.0 Current trends in travel The University estate has grown by approximately 12% over the last five years with staff and student numbers rising by approximately 13% and 11% respectively. There has also been some relocation of staff between new and existing sites, most notably Begbroke Science Park, Osney Mead, Old Road Campus and the Radcliffe Infirmary.
Despite a trend for staff to live further away from their place of work, 60% of staff lived within the four central Oxford district postcodes of OX1, OX2, OX3 and OX4 in 2002 compared to 54% in 2007, the most recent staff travel survey reassuringly indicates that the targets in the first travel plan have successfully helped the University to achieve its aim of reducing traffic and parking in the city centre.
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Table 1.0 Mode of travel staff usually use to travel to and from work.
Travel mode usually
1997 survey results
2002 survey results
2007 survey results
used to travel to and
%
%
%
Cycle
28
28
30
Car driver
46
28
23
Bus and coach
11
20
20
Walk
7
13
13
Park & Ride
2
4
5
Train
2
3
6
Car passenger
3
3
2
Motorbike
1
1
2
Total
100
100
100
from work
Response rate for survey: 1997 – 43%; 2002 – 50%; 2007 – 33%
The percentage of staff usually travelling to and from work by private car has continued to drop from 46% in 1997 to 28% in 2002 and 23% in 2007. This has been accompanied by a corresponding increase in the use of more sustainable travel modes such as the Park & Ride and the train.
The percentage of staff that always use the same mode to travel to and from work has stayed the same over the last five years at approximately 30%. Interestingly, the travel pattern for the remaining two thirds of staff that sometimes travel to and from work in other ways to their usual mode has also remained almost identical as shown in Table 2.0 below.
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Table 2.0 Mode of travel for staff that sometimes travel to and from work in other ways to their usual mode.
Travel mode sometimes
2002 survey result
2007 survey result
used to travel to and from
%
%
Cycle
12
11
Car driver
21
21
Bus and coach
31
31
Walk
18
18
Park & Ride
3
5
Train
4
3
Car passenger
10
9
Motorbike
1
1
Total
100
100
work
The bus is still the most frequently used alternative mode of travel followed by driving a car. Approximately one third of the staff that use the bus and a half of the staff that drive a car as their alternative mode of travel do so about once a week.
The travel patterns for male and female staff have remained largely the same over the last five years with a higher percentage of male staff cycling to work and a higher percentage of female staff taking the bus. Table 3.0 below highlights some of these differences.
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Table 3.0 Effect of gender on mode of travel staff usually use to travel to and from work.
Travel mode usually used
Female staff
Male staff
to travel to and from work
%
%
2002 survey
2007 survey
2002 survey
2007 survey
Cycle
21
23
35
37
Car driver
30
26
26
20
Bus and coach
24
23
14
15
Walk
12
13
15
14
Park & Ride
5
7
2
3
Train
3
6
4
7
Car passenger
4
3
2
1
Motorbike
1
1
2
3
Total
100
100
100
100
5.0 Future trends in travel As a major and responsible employer the University has taken a leading role in promoting sustainable travel locally. Recent trends indicated by the staff travel survey data show encouraging results. However, the pressure to reduce the University’s dependence on the private car and cut emissions of greenhouse gases is likely to become even greater over the five-year period of this plan for the following reasons: •
higher fuel costs
•
increased taxation and charging for less sustainable transport modes
•
increased staff and student awareness of climate change implications of carbon emissions
•
decreasing cost of electronic communication methods such as video-conferencing
6.0 Travel targets The University is committed to continue to take a leading role in managing its transport requirements sustainably and has adopted the following targets:
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1.
Reduce the percentage of staff that usually travel to and from work by car from 23% to
18%, by 2012.
2.
Increase the percentage of staff that travel to and from work using alternative methods of
travel (walking, cycling and public transport) by 5%, by 2012.
3.
Monitor business air travel and develop an air travel reduction strategy, by December 2008.
7.0 Implementation and monitoring The travel targets mentioned in the section above will be achieved through the implementation of a combination of new initiatives and existing travel initiatives, that have served the University well in recent years and are to be maintained and improved. The plan will be implemented with the use of the hypothecated budget obtained from parking charges which currently stands at about £80,000 a year.
The University Environment Panel will review annually the progress towards the objectives and targets laid out in this plan and report their findings to the Buildings and Estates Sub-Committee (BESC).
Details on existing staff travel initiatives are available at:
http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/estates/travel/index.shtml
and are summarised in appendix 1. Travel plan promotion •
Maintain and update the comprehensive University sustainable travel website
•
Provide regular updates on travel initiatives and information
•
Work in partnership with other local employers, local authorities and external bodies to help promote sustainable transport
Walking and cycling initiatives •
Continue to provide departments with pool bicycles and equipment for use by staff at work
•
Continue to improve pedestrian and cyclist access and facilities on university sites
•
Buildings to be designed, where space allows, with 1 secure and conveniently located cycle parking space per 3 staff of Sheffield type or similar
•
Provide showers for all new buildings and major refurbishments of 500m2 or more, on the following basis: 1 shower per 2,500m2 up to 10,000m2, and 1 shower per 4000m2 thereafter, as of December 2008
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•
Liaise with local cycle campaign groups
•
Provide adult cycle training for staff
•
Increase the number of staff bicycles serviced on-site by the mobile bicycle repair ‘Bike Doctor’ scheme by 10% (equivalent to an extra 5 days of Bike Doctor service per annum), by December 2008
•
Enlist an additional 250 staff to the University Bicycle Salary Sacrifice Scheme, by December 2008. Bicycle Salary Sacrifice Scheme
Public transport initiatives •
Expand staff take-up of the University Season Ticket Loan, Bus and Train Schemes, by 5% by December 2008
•
Increase the number of staff choosing the bus as an alternative to their usual travel mode;
•
Increase the number of staff using the existing University and college minibus services by 5% by December 2008
•
Introduce an Oxford Bus Company ‘key’ card (electronic smart card) pilot scheme for business travel by March 2008
Private and business motor transport initiatives •
Increase the number of staff registered on the car share scheme Oxshare by an additional 70 staff members, by December 2008
•
Reduce the effect of the car parking subsidy
•
University Car Parking Working Group to review allocation of Departmental car parking spaces, with a view to reducing the number of operational spaces, by July 2008
•
Progressively to increase the proportion of University owned vehicles with lower carbon emissions
Non travel initiatives •
Investigate systems for monitoring staff business air travel and develop an air travel reduction strategy, by December 2008
•
Install 5 new videoconferencing facilities for departmental use, by December 2008
•
Provide departments with 1 teleconferencing phone, and / or webcam equipment in order to increase facilities for virtual meetings, by December 2008
•
Promote the University Flexible Working Scheme, in particular teleworking and compressed hours (details available at http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/ps/staff/family/flexible/flexindex.shtml)
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Appendix 1.0 The following provides a summary of the existing travel and transport information and initiatives available in the University:
Walking and Cycling The University operates a bicycle salary sacrifice scheme enabling employees to purchase bicycles and related equipment at significantly discounted rates. The University of Oxford has teamed up with the Oxford Cycle Workshop to provide a mobile bike repairs "Bike Doctor" scheme. Cycles requiring minor repairs (eg. punctures, brakes, cables, gears and lights) may be taken at the day and time indicated to the following locations: •
Tuesdays (during Brookes term time only), 10 am - 4 pm at Oxford Brookes (outside the Gibb's Building/Galiano's).
•
Wednesdays, 10 am - 4 pm at Oxford University Science Area (central cycle shelter in Le Gros Park Place, off South Parks Road).
•
Thursdays, (1st and 3rd of the month), 10 am - 12 pm at Oxford University Old Road Campus (between the restaurant and the back of the Rosemary Rue Building).
Cycle registration packs to help combat the problem of bicycle theft can be purchased directly from the University Security Services, The Observatory, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RQ at the price of 60 pence. The filled-in card must be returned to the Security Services. If a registered item is stolen, it must be reported to the police (tel: 08458 505 505) and the University (tel 01865 272944).
To report problems concerning cycle paths, footpaths and pavements in Oxford or Oxfordshire please contact http://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/wps/portal/publicsite/doitonline/reportitonline/forms. Free training courses for new, inexperienced or nervous cyclists can be arranged for staff. For details please contact
[email protected].
Public Transport Staff purchasing season tickets should use either the University Bus Pass Scheme, Train Pass Scheme or the Season Ticket Loan Scheme (for tickets not available through the Bus and Train
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Pass Schemes) to take advantage of the discounted passes and interest free loans made available by the University. Staff planning a journey, by bus, coach, train or any combination of the three should either use a journey planner or contact the travel operators directly. Real time train information is available for staff catching a train. Real time bus information is available for staff catching a bus in Oxford station.
Private Motor Transport and Car Parking Car parking in University Central Parking sites is extremely limited and staff are recommended to either use the city's Park and Ride service or join the University car share scheme. Staff that need to bring their car into Oxford on a regular basis should read the University Car Parking Policy and Regulations before completing an application form for a car parking permit. Staff with severe mobility impairments holding a current Blue Badge should have automatic entitlement to a free parking space as close to the accessible entrance of their main place of work as is possible. A car parking guide is available for administrators and other staff involved in handling departmental applications for car parking permits and other related issues.
Car share scheme The University of Oxford has teamed up with five other major employers in Oxford to provide a car share scheme named Oxshare. Oxshare enables users to identify sharers not only in their own organisation or local area but also those in other organisations or along their route to work. For example, it can help to find potential sharers from a school drop-off point, allowing users to tie in other journeys with a shared journey to work.
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Oxshare is completely secure and offers users the choice of either sharing just with people from their own organisation or sharing with people from all of the registered organisations. Users remain totally anonymous until they chose to pass their personal details to another person.
Members of a formal car share team employed by the University of Oxford who are unable to car share as usual are guaranteed a taxi ride home, for example due to a domestic emergency or a requirement to work late at short notice. This does not apply if the unusual circumstances could have been anticipated and planned for. Applications for reimbursement for taxis due to late working should be made to the relevant departmental administrator (details on how to claim are available in the staff Expenses and Benefits manual). Applications for reimbursement for taxi rides home due to an emergency should be made to
the
University
Environment
and
Travel
Officer,
Tel:
(2)88782;
Email:
[email protected].
Contact Staff wishing to make comments and suggestions concerning travel and transport should contact the
University
Environment
and
Travel
Officer,
Tel:
(2)88782;
Email:
[email protected].
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