Transport Policy Sub-Committee
11th July 2007
Agenda item 5
TPSC/07/04
Transport Policy Coordinator Update
General
Jo Leyland was appointed Transport Policy Coordinator and took up her three year part-time
post in February this year. The purpose of the job is to promote the University’s Sustainable
Transport Strategy internally and externally, stimulate and implement initiatives and liaise
with service providers, interest groups and partner organisations. The post is funded from the
car parking revenue generated at the University’s Colchester campus.
University’s Sustainable Transport Strategy
The University’s Sustainable Transport Strategy has been developed by the Transport Policy
Sub-Committee and was approved by the University of Essex Council on 19th March 2007.
The Council commended the revised strategy but noted that it could be improved by the
inclusion of more targets and an implementation timetable. It also suggested that
consideration should be given to some form of incentive scheme to reward those staff who
walked or cycled to work, and that there should be a reference to air travel. The Council
noted that although referred to as the University’s Strategy, it covered the Colchester campus
only. It would be desirable to have similar strategies for Southend and Loughton.
The main aims of the Transport Strategy are firstly to decrease car parking demand on
campus and reduce the impact of University generated traffic on the local environment
(through increasing opportunities to travel by alternative means of transport and by changing
travel patterns related to work). Secondly, the Strategy aims to promote a sustainable,
integrated approach to transport both on and off campus.
The aims are supported by a number of short, medium and long term objectives enumerated
in the strategy as ongoing/review objectives, 2020 Partnership objectives and specific project
items. The Strategy states that all objectives will be reviewed on an annual basis and
amended or removed as appropriate.
A number of objectives have been achieved, some are ongoing in nature and others are yet to
be reviewed and/or implemented.
Transport Policy Coordinator update – July 2007
Cycling:
Essex BUG
Besides undertaking a brief campus assessment of cycle related infrastructure e.g. storage
(covered & uncovered), cycle paths, showers and locker provision, the Transport Policy
Coordinator convened a ‘cycle forum’. The purpose of the forum was to generate comments
and suggestions on current facilities available for cyclists and how best to encourage more
people to come into University by bike. The cyclists attending agreed to form a University
‘bicycle user group’ as is a common practice at other universities. It is now known as ‘Essex
BUG’ and currently has 72 members.
Essex BUG has established five sub-groups to take forward specific initiatives and
campaigns. These are:

Communications group: group communication; development of BUG website;
acquisition/management of budget;
 Facilities group: campaigning for improvements to the cycling infrastructure on
campus (e.g. cycle paths on campus, storage, security, showering facilities, etc.)
 Access Group: campaigning for improvements to cycle / access routes to campus
(e.g. new off-road cycle path from Wivenhoe);
 Skills group: cycle training, cycle safety, cycle maintenance, etc. working closely
with the university (Jo Leyland) to access existing services and develop them further;
as well as develop self-help routines within the Essex BUG;
 Outreach group: development of external links (e.g. to other BUGs and cycling
organisations); promotion of cycling within the University, especially to non-cyclists
and new members of staff and new students.
Once fully constituted, each sub-group is expected to produce an action plan. Sub-Group
coordinators liaise with Steffen Boehm (BUG coordinator) and Jo Leyland regarding the
action plans.
Cycling activities:
National Bike Week
Essex BUG played a very significant role in ensuring that the University’s national Bike
Week (June 16th – 24th) was successful, particularly the Bike2Work day on June 19th. A total
of 186 cyclists took part of which 168 were staff, representing 10% of the 1662 staff at the
Colchester campus. The vast majority were regular cyclists. The attached Essex BUG
Bike2Work sheet illustrates the various events that took place. Additional funding/support
was provided by Essex County Council (£400), Cycle Revolution and the University Catering
Services who provided cost price big breakfasts. One off-shoot of the interdepartmental
Bike2work challenge was that the winning department won a Dahon folding bike to be used
as a pool bike and thereby pilot the use of pool bikes by University departments. The results
of the Bike2Work challenge are appended. In general, the academic departments had a much
higher proportion of staff cycling in.
Additionally, cycle training and other activities were organised to promote cycling (see
University of Essex Cycling Activities May – June 2007) and were also associated with Bike
Week activities. The training was opened up to students this time, and students were the
majority of the participants.
Cycle2Work
A number of meetings have been held and research carried out into the University taking
advantage of the Cycle2Work scheme offered by the Government which is a tax incentive
scheme aimed at encouraging employees to cycle to work. Employers loan bicycles to their
staff as a tax-free benefit on the condition that the bicycles are mainly used to to go and from
work or for work-related purposes. The employee ‘buys’ the bike at the end of the loan
period for a nominal sum. The University has now agreed that the loan funds can be provided
by the University. Further research is required to ascertain the demand and establish the
system. It is suggested that the scheme set up takes account of the Bike2work results e.g. the
low participation rates of Accomodation staff.
Cycle access
The main campaign behind the University’s Bike2Work event was to raise support for a safe,
all-season cycle route from upper Wivenhoe to the University. Although mooted for many
years, this has been given new impetus by the Bike2Work event. The cycle route is now in
the Local Transport Plan and the District Highways Manager is investigating sources of
funding.
Linkages with Colchester Cycling Campaign, Colchester 2020 Travel Plan Club and a newly
formed Velovision group are leading to efforts to improve cycling access to the University.
Cycling Infrastructure
Given that the University now has Essex BUG, a Transport Policy Coordinator and that major
infrastructure works are shortly scheduled with the Research Park, there is opportunity to
undertake a more strategic review of cycling infrastructure on campus. Provision for cycling
storage by Keynes Tower has been budgeted in the current financial year. However, rather
than spend a significant sum on covered cycle parking there which might not fit with the
longer term strategy, it is proposed to significantly expand the uncovered cycle storage on top
of the old boiler house, using the same ‘rack and planter’ system with the same monies.
Cycle storage is likely to increase by about 80 spaces.
Car sharing
Efforts on car sharing are reported under agenda item 9.
Public transport
First have been undertaking a review of their bus services and will be launching a revised
schedule from August. The University provided data on location of staff and students and
First carried out a web-based & leaflet consultation in June regarding their bus services which
had many questions about services for the University. Unfortunately, the one week
consultation period coincided with the final exam week at the University. However, good
communication has been established with First’s new marketing assistant, and maintained
with the Operations Manager, and a meeting has been scheduled for 20th July with the new
Managing Director to discuss how they might better liaise with the University and how to best
communicate revised schedules.
Whilst the University is limited in its influence on external public transport provision, there is
seating in only one bus stop on campus. It is suggested that a means be found to provide
seating at all bus stops within the next financial year.
Pedestrians
The main effort regarding improvement of pedestrian access to the University has focussed on
Clingoe Hill due to the second tragic student fatality whilst crossing the road. Efforts in this
regard are covered in paper TPSC/07/05 on Road Safety on Clingoe Hill under agenda item 6.
It is suggested that the Transport Strategy explicitly emphasise the need for safe and
sustainable transport.
Resources
The resourcing of transport initiatives is covered in agenda item 8, paper TPSC/07/07 Traffic
Control Budget 2006/2007. Given that all the income for expenditure on transport initiatives
is currently derived from the ring-fenced car parking charges, including the salary of the
Transport Policy Coordinator, it is important that expenditure be clearly related to efforts to
encourage car users to adopt alternative means of transport or make more efficient use of their
vehicles and meet the aims of the Transport Strategy.
Transport Policy Sub-Committee is requested to note and endorse the measures being taken to
implement the University’s Sustainable Transport Strategy.
Jo Leyland
Transport Policy Coordinator
University of Essex
Results of Bike2Work Inter-departmental Challenge, June 2007
Department/Section
ISER
Safety Office
Mathematical Sciences
UKDA
History
Biological Sciences
Psychology
Finance
VC & Reg.
Counselling
AFM
HHS
Govt.
Law
Philosophy
ESE
Academic
Personnel
Ext. Relations
ISS
Sociology
Human Rights
Library
Lang. & Ling
Estates
International Academy
Computer Science
Student Support
Children Legal Centre
Students' Union
Lit., Film & TS
Economics
Day Nursery
Accomodation
No. of staff
in
bike2work
17
1
3
9
5
22
8
6
1
1
8
8
6
5
2
7
5
2
5
5
3
1
4
3
14
2
4
1
2
3
1
1
1
2
Compiled from Bike2Work registration sheets
J Leyland
Transport Policy Coordinator, University of Essex
26 June 2007
No. of staff in
Dept./Section
47
4
14
47
29
130
48
36
6
6
50
54
47
42
17
70
52
21
53
56
38
13
58
46
216
31
64
16
36
57
31
39
44
144
Percentage of
staff cycling in
36.2%
25.0%
21.4%
19.1%
17.2%
16.9%
16.7%
16.7%
16.7%
16.7%
16.0%
14.8%
12.8%
11.9%
11.8%
10.0%
9.6%
9.5%
9.4%
8.9%
7.9%
7.7%
6.9%
6.5%
6.5%
6.5%
6.3%
6.3%
5.6%
5.3%
3.2%
2.6%
2.3%
1.4%