Travel Plan: 2025-2030

In June 2024, we announced that the University was working on a fresh approach to travel that aligned with our ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability, as set out within our Environmental Sustainability Strategy. Within this strategy, we describe how we will reduce our carbon footprint, promote sustainability in our teaching and learning, research and innovation, and how we would engage and support our colleague and student community in the transition to a more sustainable society.

As a result, our new Travel Plan aims to encourage more sustainable transportation options for our community while also ensuring fairness and affordability. 

The core goals of the Travel Plan are:

Decarbonising University-Related Travel

• Commuting: We will aim to reduce carbon emissions from commuting by reducing the number of colleagues commuting via car from 32% of colleagues in 2023/24 to 27% by 2030.  This will be supported by phased increases in car parking charges, a new car-sharing scheme, and enhanced public and active travel options.

• Business Travel: Our target is to halve aviation emissions compared to pre-pandemic levels by 2030. This includes encouraging virtual meetings, promoting rail travel for UK and European trips, and providing a top-up fund to cover additional costs between air and rail travel.

• Fleet Vehicles: We are committed to replacing all University fleet vehicles with electric vehicles by 2030. This includes installing additional EV charging points across campus.

Improving Transport Options and Facilities

• Public Transport: We have extended the free route on the No 147 bus service to Piccadilly Station and will trial free bus travel from Victoria Station to campus. Additionally, we will offer free trial tram and free trial train passes for existing car park users.

• Active Travel: We have increased the Cycle to Work scheme limit to £5,000, and will be offering free Starling hire bike minutes, and organising active travel breakfasts to encourage those walking, wheeling, and cycling to work.
• Electric Vehicles: A salary sacrifice scheme for electric vehicles (EVs) will be introduced for staff this academic year. 

Actively promote Health and Wellbeing

• We will continue to work with colleagues in the colleague and student wellbeing teams to promote the health and wellbeing benefits of active travel options such as walking, wheeling, and cycling to work.

Car Park Charging Policy Implementation 

As part of the Travel Strategy objectives outlined above, a new car park charging policy will be implemented from 30 May 2025 along with a new tariff for Electric Vehicle (EV) charge points. 

Car Park Charges  

Since June, we have been listening to colleagues about the proposed plan, working closely with our staff networks to conduct a thorough equality impact assessment (EIA) to ensure necessary amendments were included to support our colleagues.  

Following the EIA, we have reduced the rate increase for colleagues on the lowest grade and we will also be offering enhanced support for disabled colleagues. We will introduce free parking for all colleagues in receipt of a higher rate of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disabled Living Allowance (DLA). Pregnant colleagues who experience pregnancy-related commuting concerns may be eligible for free parking, subject to an assessment with an Occupational Health Clinician. 

You can read the full EIA here. 

For colleagues in Grade 1&2, the current maximum daily rate for our University car park is 77p (and the hourly rate is 11p/h), and for Grade 9s, the maximum daily rate is £3.36 (48p/h). The comparable charge for a member of the public in one of our car parks is £9.90. This means that we are currently offering a colleague subsidy of between 66-92% to the 30% of colleagues who hold a car parking permit. In comparison, a day bus pass in Greater Manchester currently costs £5.  

For that reason, we do not feel that it is fair or reasonable to continue to subsidise car travel at this rate, as we are inadvertently incentivising staff to make the least sustainable travel choices. This loses the University around £200,000 each year. Amongst grades 1 and 2 only 10% of colleagues have a car parking pass, at grade 9 this increases to 45%.  

In addition, we will be phasing out discounted parking for electric vehicle drivers over the 3 years and no discount will be given to new electric car drivers from 30th May. Whilst measures such as discounted parking and free charging were appropriate to encourage early adopters when electric vehicles were in their infancy, as an increasing portion of the UK car fleet is becoming electric, we believe electric car drivers should be paying the standard cost of parking and for any charging they do on campus. This decision is made particularly because we know some colleagues cannot currently afford electric vehicles. Our new salary sacrifice scheme will become the primary way that we support greater adoption of electric vehicles.  

New charges for EV charging point users from 30 May: