Staff and Student Travel

The University of Exeter is currently delivering a range of projects and initiatives outlined in its Sustainable Travel Plan 2016-2020 for the Exeter campuses. In line with this plan, a review of the University’s car parking policy and parking management systems is now being undertaken to assist in meeting the 2020 commuting targets; as well as developing new initiatives to improve the provision of more sustainable and active modes of travel.

The ongoing sustainable travel initiatives as well as regular communication and engagement activities has seen continued uptake of sustainable modes of travel. From 2015/16 to 2016/2017 there has been a 14% increase in the recorded number of parked cycles across the campuses. The number of formal car sharing teams, as recorded on the University’s Liftshare group, now stands at 131; an increase from 124 at the same point last year; with 700 members now registered on the site. Patronage on both the University-subsidised D bus service and the University-funded shuttle bus from St David’s Railway Station to our Exeter campuses continues to grow year-on-year for both staff and student passenger journeys. The sustainable travel mailing list that is used to promote the team’s events and other opportunities for students and staff currently has 1,150 members receiving regular updates.

The University was an initial partner in Exeter’s new city-wide electric bike hire scheme; which as part of its launch in October 2016 saw the installation of one of the first docking stations on the University’s Streatham campus. The University has recently installed two further docking stations on University land - one St Luke’s Campus and one near University accommodation adjacent to Exeter St David’s Railway Station – providing two key links in the expanding city network.

Other recent achievements include the University’s success in September 2017’s National Cycle Challenge, which saw Exeter placed second nationally and first in Devon. Following on from this success, Exeter has been chosen to participate in a pilot project targeting sustainable travel behaviour change through cycling, in partnership with Love to Ride, the Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges (EAUC) and the National Union of Students (NUS).

Targets and Delivery Plans