Introduction
This page outlines the University's approach to Strategic Travel Planning for its Estate.
The Strategic Travel and Transport Plan (STTP) 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 2026-30 Plan identifies a series of actions which would assist in delivering travel behaviour change towards more sustainable and active commuting modes.
This STTP also includes a dashboard which provides an interactive analysis of the relationship between the actions, modal split and commuting travel carbon emission.
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 and active transport 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 the University Main Campus.
The 2024 survey data has been used as the baseline for this Strategic Travel and Transport 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 survey 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 and 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.
They 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 include specific targets. 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 relevant 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 how we use business air travel.
STTP actions
Below is a list of actions to achieve modal shift towards active and sustainable travel, to support carbon emission reductions from commuting and local business travel.
|
ID |
Category |
Action |
Action Description |
|
AT1a |
Active Travel |
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 |
|
AT1b |
Active Travel |
Bike Hire Discount |
Investigate how the University can provide further financial incentives/discounts to support access to bike hire schemes |
|
AT2 |
Active Travel |
Cycle Parking |
Increase the quantity and quality of secure cycle parking across campuses. Maintain existing and new facilities to good working order. Manage access where needed. |
|
AT4 |
Active Travel |
Cycle Plus – the University’s Cycle to Work Scheme |
Continue to promote the Cycle Plus Scheme to staff. |
|
AT5 |
Active Travel |
On-campus Infrastructure & Facilities |
Investigate opportunities and deliver improvements in campus active travel infrastructure and facilities (e.g. showers, cycle repair stands, wayfinding signage) |
|
AT6 |
Active Travel |
Off-campus Infrastructure |
Continue consultation/partnership working with Local Authority to improve and deliver off-campus active travel infrastructure |
|
AT7 |
Active Travel |
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 |
|
PT1 |
Public Transport |
Public Transport Services |
Continue consultation/partnership working with public transport operators to improve services and infrastructure for University relevant routes and locations |
|
PT2 |
Public Transport |
Public Transport Information |
Continue to provide general travel information and promote public transport use |
|
PT3 |
Public Transport |
Public Transport Discounts |
Investigate the extension of the University’s public transport travel discount schemes to include more than currently available ticket types. Includes extending to more public transport operators |
|
ST1 |
Sustainable Travel |
Behaviour Change Promotion |
Continue to promote active and sustainable travel and related incentives. This includes information on the University webpage, outreach and engagement events, and the promotion of schemes to encourage active and sustainable travel options |
|
DC1 |
Driving and Car |
Parking Review |
Support the review of the on-campus parking scheme including review of points based criteria, if required |
|
DC3 |
Driving and Car |
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure |
Monitor any trends on EV utilisation for commuting on campus and potentially support the installation of on-campus charging facilities upgrade if data suggests a demand and this fits with policy |
|
DC4 |
Driving and Car |
Local Business Travel |
Support activities that make it easier for staff not to arrive by private car, if local business travel is the main reason why they chose car commuting. This would include to make available alternatives, like the promotion of the University e-bike fleet and potentially the introduction of on-campus car club vehicles |
Interactive dashboard: carbon reduction vs actions
Below dashboard provides an interactive analysis of the relationship between proposed actions and modal shift showing how they influence the University’s transport related carbon footprint.
Applying user-specified options, actions can be selected to assess impacts. The outcomes tables show the estimated change in mode share, vehicle kilometres, and carbon reductions/increases. This dashboard provides a user-friendly method of estimating the University’s progress towards achieving a reduction in the University’s commuting related carbon emissions.
To understand the methodology and assumptions made to create the dashboard, see Technical Note
Business Travel and University Fleet
The STTP focuses on commuting actions.
However, Travel Planning at UofG also supports Business Travel Policy and implementation, and the decarbonisation of the University fleet.
This includes, for example,
- data support on business travel
- input in working groups on Business Travel Policy
- developing business travel data visualisations
- improving travel booking portals to reflect policy
and
- supporting applications for funding for rolling-out fleet EV charging infrastructure
- promoting e-bikes for local business travel
Monitoring
We base our reporting and monitored carbon emissions from commuting travel on regular staff and student travel behaviour surveys. These surveys ask for travel modes, travel distances and travel frequency. The data collected gives us a calculation base which is adjusted to estimate the commuting travel carbon emissions and modal split for the whole University population.
The latest survey was carried out in Autumn 2024. The results can be found here.
Travel Surveys will be carried out every 3 years, with the next scheduled for Autumn 2027.
Other indicators we monitor and report on include
- fuel use for University vehicles
- claimed re-imbursement for use of private vehicles on University business
We are working on improving our data collections to be able to track other travel trends and choices.