Introduction
This page outlines the University's approach to Strategic Travel Planning for its Estate.
The Strategic Travel and Transport Plan 2026-2030 is the reviewed and updated version of previous University Travel Plans. The Strategic Travel and Transport Plan 2016-2025 can be found below.
Strategic Travel and Transport Plan 2016 - 2025 (pdf)
The Plan identifies a series of actions to which would assist in delivering achieve travel behaviour change towards more sustainable and active commuting modes.
The STTP also includes a dashboard which provides an interactive analysis of the relationship between them actions, modal split and commuting travel carbon emission reductions.
Please contact us with any questions you may have about the University's Travel Planning process.
Context
The University is a major employer and trip generator for its students and visitors. The main campus benefits from an urban location with good public transport links. There are also good active travel links. This is reflected in the 2024 travel survey data which shows an above Scottish average use of public transport and active travel for our staff and students to come to University.
The 2024 survey data has been used as the baseline for this Strategic Travel Plan re-iteration.
- The survey results were used to calculate the estimated annual commuting emissions, for staff and students, as 10,022 tCO2e.
- 29% of staff and 8% of students travelled by car as their main mode for commuting; this includes car sharing.
- Annual car kilometres are estimated at 29.5M. Omitting the period affected by Covid restrictions, there has been a 13% reduction in annual car kilometres for travel to the University, since 2018/2019 results.
Related Policies and Projects
The actions within the STTP have been informed by the existing situation at the University of Glasgow, as well as by University, local and national policy.
University policies and plans
- 'Glasgow Green: The University of Glasgow's response to the climate emergency'
supports a transition to sustainable modes of travel for commuting. - The Carbon Management Plan highlights the University’s commitment to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030
- The University is a partner of the Climate Ready Clyde initiative, influencing decision making at a city-level. As a member, it has created its Climate Change Adaptation plan.
Glasgow policies and plans
- Glasgow's Climate Plan commits Glasgow to net zero by 2030. Transport has an important role to play.
- Glasgow Transport Strategy
- Glasgow Active Travel Strategy
Local Sustainable Transport projects
The University will benefit from proposed active travel routes as outlined in the Glasgow City Network plans or the projects identified in the Glasgow City Deal. These include:
- Kelvin Way active travel route improvements
- Glasgow Avenues, including Argyle Street
- Byres Road Public Realm development
- Connecting Yorkhill and Kelvingrove project.
These will benefit our staff and students who want to arrive at the University on bike, or on foot.
Travel Plan target
This version of the University's Strategic Travel and Transport Plan does not have a specific target. It aims to support University strategies and plans in decreasing carbon emissions. While we measured and targeted modal split in previous Travel Plans, all other University strategies focus on carbon reduction.
Our approach to achieve carbon emission reduction from transport is to encourage active travel (low or no emissions), and to support public transport instead of car use.
An internal ambition is to reduce carbon emissions from commuting and business travel by 3,137t, of which the majority will have to be achieved by changes to business air travel.
Travel Plan actions
List of Actions in the Strategic Travel Plan
Active Travel Actions
|
Action |
Action Description |
|
Access to Bike Hire |
Continuing to encourage and promote access to the VOI bike hire scheme. Investigate how to the University can support uptake through additional VOI bike hire stations across campuses and near student accommodation |
|
Bike Hire Discount |
Investigate how the University can provide further financial incentives/discounts to support access to bike hire schemes |
|
Cycle Parking |
Increase the quantity and quality of secure cycle parking across campuses |
|
Active Travel Behaviour Change |
Continue to deliver and promote the benefits of active travel and related incentives. Keep University webpage with active travel information, deliver bi-annual engagement events, and deliver annual engagement initiatives to promote sustainable travel |
|
Cycle Plus Scheme |
Continue to offer and promote the Cycle Plus Scheme to staff. Continue to work with suppliers and increase the number of bike shops offering bike purchase through Cycle Plus Scheme |
|
On-campus Infrastructure & Facilities |
Continue to investigate opportunities and deliver improvements in campus active travel infrastructure and facilities. (E.g. showers, cycle repair stands, wayfinding signage) |
|
Off-campus Infrastructure |
Continue consultation/partnership working with Local Authority to improve and deliver off-campus active travel infrastructure |
|
Active Travel Strategy (ATS) |
Create an Active Travel Strategy. The strategy should be map-based and show existing and planned facilities for active travellers for Gilmorehill. Other University locations should be included as a list. The strategy will include bicycle parking facilities, other cycling facilities such as repair stands and showers, as well as areas to be reviewed for improvement of walking conditions |
Public Transport Actions
|
Action |
Action Description |
|
Public Transport Services |
Continue consultation/partnership working with public transport operators to improve services and infrastructure |
|
Public Transport Information |
Continue to provide general travel advice and promote public transport use |
|
Public Transport Discounts |
Investigate the extension of the University’s public transport travel discount schemes for to include alternative and more flexible ticket types. Includes extending to more public transport operators |
Driving and car travel action
|
Action |
Action Description |
|
Parking Scheme |
Support the review of the on-campus parking scheme including review of points based criteria, if required |
|
Parking Data |
Co-operate with the car parking team on data analysis to understand the number and type of private vehicles entering the campus |
|
EV Utilisation |
Monitor any trends on EV utilisation for commuting on campus and potential on-campus facilities upgrade needs developing for staff |
|
Private Car Reduction |
Support activities that make it easier for staff not to arrive by private car, such as the introduction of on-campus car share vehicles, if a review of the scheme recommends this |
Interactive carbon reduction vs actions
Business Travel and University Fleet
Specific actions
Monitoring
Surveys all 3 years. next one 2027, then 2030