The University of Manchester Green Travel Plan 2006 - 2011 Directorate of Estates April 2007 Foreword by Professor Bob Munn Vice-President Teaching and Learning and Chairman of the Sustainable Development Steering Group Universities are in a special position in relation to sustainable development: they can research it, they can teach it, and they can foster it in their operations. The University of Manchester is working to meet its responsibilities across this broad range of activities, and in particular recognises transport as a significant aspect of its operations, along with others such as energy use. Transport involves not only how the University operates its own vehicles but also how staff and students get to the campus every day. This Green Travel Plan is our response to those topics for the next five years. One problem with major issues like global warning is that they are so huge that we may feel unable to do anything about them. No one of us can solve the problem, but each of us can play a part in solving it, and the Green Travel Plan offers ways of doing that. It shows us how we can contribute, setting targets to raise our aspirations and to help us see how we are doing. So can I encourage you to use greener forms of transport where possible – walking or cycling, sharing a car, or switching to public transport. Professor Bob Munn Vice-President Teaching and Learning Page 2 of 31 Table of Contents Section Title Page Foreword by Professor Bob Munn 2 1. Executive Summary 4 2. Introduction and Aims 6 3. Drivers for the Travel Plan 7 4. Achievements to Date 8 5. Existing Public Transport Facilities 16 6. HEP Staff Travel Surveys 17 7. Travel Plan Measures 2006 - 2011 18 8. Vehicular Movement and Highway Modifications 22 9. Monitoring and Review Mechanisms 23 10. Travel Plan Co-ordinator and Support 23 11. Provision of Travel Information 24 12. Marketing 24 13. Appendix A – Staff Travel Survey 1999 26 Appendix B – Staff Travel Survey 2005 29 Page 3 of 31 1. Executive Summary The University of Manchester, through the establishment of the Sustainable Development Steering Group in 2005, recognised that it has a duty to ensure that its teaching and research activities (together with other activities such as estate/campus management and community engagement) need to be carried out in the context of its commitment to sustainable development. In 2000, The University developed its first Green Travel Plan, in support of its commitment to sustainable development and the need to address transport and car parking issues as part of the major re-development of the Campus. The Green Travel Plan is a set of initiatives to encourage employees and students to use modes of travel other than the single occupant private car. This updated Green Travel Plan aims to consolidate the progress that has already been made and to continue to encourage travel to and from the University by modes other than single occupancy car use. It sets out short (2007), medium (2007-9) and long term (2009-11) objectives in order to achieve this. It will also begin to address student travel. Fleet management and policies to reduce the need to travel (such as e-learning and flexible working) will be researched and implemented where appropriate. Targets will be set and regularly monitored, against which the success of the Travel Plan can be measured, Some of the short, medium and long term objectives for the University over the next five years include: Continued support and investment in Green Travel initiatives such as the Oxford Road Link - including a proportion of funding to provide free inter campus travel. Additional facilities for cyclists and walkers. The University intends to spend over £400,000 on pedestrian routes, £410,000 on cycling routes, £290,000 on cycle storage and £100,000 on new shower and changing facilities over the life of this Plan. Introduction of new car parking charges that will give financial and operational incentives to encourage car sharing. Further development of the Discounted Public Transport Ticketing Scheme and Interest Free Loan Facility. Journey planning workshops. A series of workshops where staff can come along and have a public transport journey planned for them, get advice on the best tickets to purchase and can be signposted to the interest free loan scheme. Develop the University of Manchester into a local public transport interchange with upgraded and coded bus stops. Investigate running the 147 bus fleet vehicles and University fleet vehicles on 50% Bio-diesel or 100% vegetable oil. Lobby the City Council, GMPTE, and GMPTA to re-regulate public transport and gain overall control of bus/train and tram provision. Work with operators and the GMPTE/GMPTA to ‘clean up’ the fleet of buses on the Oxford Road Corridor. Page 4 of 31 Investigate the development of Smart Card Technology and integration with public transport ticketing. Investigate the relationship and possible integration of the Green Travel Plan into Flexible Working/Work Life Balance corporate strategies. Produce a student travel plan for the University of Manchester. Work with the City Council to integrate the newly formed cycling routes as part of the Public Realm works into the wider city cycle network. The University will continue to work with Higher Education Precinct (HEP) Partners, Manchester City Council, GMPTE, the Local Community and other agencies to optimise the effectiveness of this Travel Plan and its successful implementation. By making the resources available to fully implement the Travel Plan, the University is demonstrating its commitment to working with its neighbours to minimise disruption to them through its activities. Page 5 of 31 2. Introduction and Aims Introduction The University is a member of the Higher Education Precinct (HEP) Partnership that includes the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) and the Central Manchester and Manchester Children’s NHS Trust (CMMC). The HEP Steering Group also includes representation from both Manchester City Council (MCC) and the Greater Manchester Transport Executive (GMPTE). Since June 2002, the partner organisations have jointly employed a full time Travel Plan Co-ordinator to develop the Travel Plan for all organisations. The HEP Steering Group, consisting of members from all the above organisations, operates to a Memorandum of Understanding which sets out its role and that of the Travel Plan Co-ordinator. A Travel Plan is a general term for a package of measures tailored to the needs of individual sites. The principal aim of this Travel Plan is to allow staff, students and visitors to easily access the site via all modes of transport but with an emphasis on public transport, cycling and walking, thus reducing reliance on the car as a mode of transport to and from the workplace. It involves the development of a set of mechanisms, initiatives and targets that – together – can enable the organisation to reduce the impact of travel and transport on the environment, whilst also bringing a number of other benefits to the organisation as an employer of staff. A Travel Plan is a dynamic process that will grow and develop with time, and in accordance with the changing circumstances of the individual partner organisations and the environment in which it operates. The development of a Travel Plan for each organisation will help to encourage staff and visitors to use more environmentally-friendly alternatives to single occupancy driving, at least for some of their journey. It should contain a mix of incentives and disincentives to be successful e.g. car-sharing, promoting more use of public transport, encouraging walking and cycling, restricting on-site car parking spaces and supporting alternative work practices which reduce the need to travel. Aims Encouraging and facilitating the use of alternative modes of transport to the single-occupant car as a means of commuting to work will: reduce the pressure on the use of car parks; free up land to implement the Estate Master Plan; reduce the volume of traffic, with associated environmental benefits; reduce instances of on-street parking in residential areas; and ensure that the University complies with national and local government policy on transport. Page 6 of 31 3. Drivers for the Travel Plan Below are provided drivers to justify the continued support for a Green Travel Plan. Loss of Car Parking and Growing Population With the opening of the new multi-storey car park, car parking capacity is back to its original position before Phase 1 of the capital programme works began. However the projected increases in student and staff numbers will make the successful implementation, promotion and ongoing monitoring of the Travel Plan crucial to achieve the long term aim of reducing single car occupancy trips to the University both for staff and students. Knowledge Capital Knowledge Capital, is an initiative that has the potential to create a truly world class city that delivers on the Government’s dual goals of prosperity and social equity. In recent years the City of Manchester has experienced vast regeneration and transformation, which brings with it an unprecedented opportunity to boost this dynamic and sustainable economic powerhouse by fully maximising the city’s unique assets, centred on knowledge and new ideas. The drive to increase economic activity based on our Knowledge Capital will lead to an increase in staff and student numbers within the HEP, and the need to sensibly manage the way they travel to this area. Residential Parking Problems It has been highlighted by the City Council’s Planning Department and local ward members that there are ongoing issues with staff and students parking inconsiderately in residential areas around the University.