Travel and transport

Key successes

• An increase in the number of staff and student bus users – up over 25 per cent between 2014 and 2018.
• The introduction of a night bus service for the University and north-west Guildford that has been championed by the student population, Guildford Borough Council and local residents.
• New developments on campus and at Manor Park have created an additional 350 jobs while the proportion of staff who drive has remained broadly consistent between 42 and 48 per cent.
• The introduction of staff and student car clubs at each site.

Travel Plan 2018-22

The Travel Plan 2018-22 sets the necessary objectives, measures and targets we aim to meet by 2022.

Main objectives include:

• Creating a cost neutral operation that meets all legal requirements
• Encouraging a shift in mode of transport
• Engendering personal responsibility
• Working in partnership with others
• Ensuring a smooth operation
• Providing the best transport experience.

Read the full Travel Plan 2018-22 (PDF).

Governance

Management, marketing and monitoring of the Travel Plan 2018-22 is the responsibility of the University Transport Team, which collaborates closely with staff and students. Progress against the plan is reported at Transport and Travel Working Group's quarterly meeting.

To find out more about our various working groups, please see our governance page.  

Travel to Work and Remote Working Survey 

In June, the Sustainability, HR and Surrey Living Lab teams conducted a staff survey to establish whether Covid-19 has changed employee opinions regarding remote working and travel to work. Over 1,200 staff took the survey. Key findings included:

• Seven out of ten respondents said that they had rarely or never worked remotely before Covid-19
• Most respondents commented that remote working had been better than expected, and that they were more productive, less distracted, and better at workload management when working remotely
• Eight out of ten respondents said that they would like to work remotely more frequently, even after they are allowed back to work on campus
• It seems unlikely that commuting behaviours are going to change significantly after Covid-19. Rather than changing travel mode, it seems that most staff would like to commute less in general and work remotely more frequently, in the short and long-term future.

Shaped by the data from this study, HR are developing new working policies and working collaboratively with the Sustainability and Surrey Living Lab teams to try to enhance potential co-benefits, such as improved staff wellbeing, cleaner air and a reduction in carbon emissions from transport.

Read the full survey summary report (PDF).