Travel and transport - Overarching aim

To provide viable and accessible sustainable travel options for staff and students for travel to work, travel at work and travel for work which results in a reduction of carbon emissions

Targets

• At least 75% of staff to be regularly commuting to work by sustainable modes of travel by 2016.
• By 2020 to have reduced the per capita carbon emissions from flights by 25%.

The University's Travel Plan exists to improve access to and between sites, and to enable staff to find alternatives to driving. The annual travel survey of staff helps us to measure progress in this area.

April is Spotlight on Travel month

Join us at travel events across the University to learn about sustainable travel options for staff.

Sustainable travel at the University of Cambridge

With over 9,000 staff, 19,000 students, more than 20 sites of University departments and other buildings, and fewer than 2000 car parking spaces, travel to and at work is a key issue for the University to manage. 

On this page, and in the links to the left, you'll find information on sustainable travel at the University, and what's on offer to staff. You can also subscribe to our quarterly travel newsletter to receive regular updates.

Commuting to work

Catch the bus

Subsidised travel on the Universal bus route; Cambridgeshire bus services; Park and Ride information

Carshare

Share the commute and save money through the camshare.co.uk online tool

For general information on car parking, please see the EM website (opens in a new window).

Get Cycling

Discounts and savings; Cycle to Work Scheme; pool bikes; find out how to stay safe on your bike; top tips on how to try and avoid bike theft; online interactive cycle route-finder

Use the train

10% discounts on monthly/ annual season tickets for specific routes

Try car clubs

Join the University’s car club to be able to have access to a vehicle during the day without needing to drive to work.

Travel to Work loan scheme

Site travel guides

Use the maps below to find the easiest way to travel to work and between the major University sites.

Downing                                Cambridge Biomedical Campus  West Cambridge

Madingley Rise                       Sidgwick                                Old Addenbrookes/Mill Lane

Business Travel

Business travel is a key part of our work but also of our carbon footprint, incorporating emissions from any travel undertaken on University business. Without negatively impacting on necessary research collaboration or other University activities, we encourage staff and students to think about how they could reduce their personal impact in this area.

If you travel for your role:

• Travel between University sites using your building's pool bike scheme, if your building does not have a scheme you can follow the University guidance to set one up.
• Consider alternatives to travel where possible. Conference calls save on travel time as well as cost and carbon: if using your workstation,read this advice from the University Information Services (UIS). Could you use a departmental meeting room, or UIS videoconference facilities?

• If you're thinking of flying, consider whether it's possible to travel via train instead. This can provide the opportunity to get some additional work done, and if booked in advance can be surprisingly cheap. Have a look at ‘The Man in Seat Sixty-One’ for tips on reaching even far-flung locations via train and LOCO2 to book tickets.

• Make sure that you and your colleagues are aware that free travel insurance is available from the University. Anonymous data from this system helps us to measure our carbon emissions from business travel.