Prepared by: University College London, Estates and Facilities Division, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT. June 2001 Revised: January 2007 (revision 10)
CONTENTS 1.00 INTRODUCTION...1 1.01 Objective of the Travel Plan...1 1.02 Area of Jurisdiction...1 1.03 Review, Management and Promotion of the Plan...2 2.00 THE PRESENT SITUATION...4 2.01 Current Impact...4 2.02 Car Parking Facilities...4 2.03 Allocation of Car Parking Spaces...6 2.04 Bicycle Parking...7 2.05 Other Allowances and Facilities Available to Staff...7 2.06 Campus Vehicles...8 2.07 Working Hours...8 3.00 FUTURE POLICY THE PLAN...8 3.01 Car Use...9 3.02 Public Transport...9 3.03 Reducing the Need to Travel to Work...10 3.04 Promotion of Cycling The Camden Cycling Plan...10 3.05 Promotion of Cycling New Developments & Existing Buildings...12 3.06 Promotion of Cycling Student Hostels...13 3.07 Promotion of Cycling Financial Arrangements...13 3.08 Fleet Vehicles...13 3.09 Deliveries...13 3.10 Mail...13 3.11 Visitors...14 3.12 Combined Heating and Power Project...14 3.13 Walking to Work...14 3.14 Marketing...15 Revision 10: January 2007 i
1.00 INTRODUCTION 1.01 Objective of the Travel Plan The objective of the Travel Plan is to reduce the environmental impact of transport related to University College London and its activities. It aims to: Encourage those staff and students who do not have a relevant disability and are still using private cars to and from UCL to find alternatives. Assist and facilitate staff and students using transport other than private cars to and from UCL and its residential accommodation. Encourage visitors to UCL to travel means other than by private car. Ensure that all staff and students have access to public transport information. Promote the use of environmentally friendly transport by UCL where required for its activities. Establish and co-ordinate various initiatives within a single framework. 1.02 Area of Jurisdiction The plan relates to UCL s main site in Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia, and other UCL sites in academic, administrative and residential use in Camden, Westminster, Islington and Haringey. Revision 10: January 2007 1
Fig. 1. UCL s Central London campus and the surrounding area 1.03 Review, Management and Promotion of the Plan Statement of Support: The Provost supports the objective of the Travel Plan and its implementation, which has been approved by UCL s Council. Plan Management The Estates and Facilities Division and UCL Students Union are responsible for disseminating the Plan and its benefits to staff and students respectively, and for the Plan s implementation. The UCL intranet, the Provost s Newsletter and other appropriate media are being used to promote and raise awareness about key aspects of the Plan. Plan Distribution and Dissemination The Travel Plan is available to staff and students via the UCL intranet. All Students and Staff have access to the intranet as a source of primary information. Visitors, staff and students have access to local and public transport information via the UCL web site, which is regularly updated. Revision 10: January 2007 2
Annual Review The Travel Plan is reviewed annually and updated and regular reports are made to the Estates Management Committee. Copies of amended plans will be made available to the relevant Planning Authority and the GLA who may ask for specific amendments to be made to the plan in connection with Section 106 requirements for future UCL development proposals. Travel Co-ordinator UCL has nominated a transport and travel co-ordinator within the Estates and Facilities Division, responsible to the Director of Estates. The Malet Place Entrance, used by delivery & service vehicles Revision 10: January 2007 3
2.00 THE PRESENT SITUATION 2.01 Current Impact The Main Quadrangle Due to its location, ongoing policy and a number of previous initiatives, UCL presently has relatively little transport related impact on the environment for an organisation of its size. UCL has an average 5,725 staff in the Bloomsbury Campus, but, as tabulated on the next page, a total of only 58 staff parking spaces, giving a ratio of 98 staff per parking space. The number of parking spaces has been reduced from 225 in 2001, when there were 24 staff per parking space. By comparison the University of Bristol had 1,100 spaces for 3,500 staff, or 3 staff per parking space 1 and the University of Manchester 2,700 spaces for 5,500 staff (2 staff per parking space). 2.02 Car Parking Facilities Constant pressure to develop new facilities and to modernise and expand existing ones within the already densely developed area allied to a policy decision to reduce on-site parking and vehicular traffic has meant a continued reduction in the number of car parking spaces offered by UCL to its staff. UCL s parking spaces are distributed throughout the campus area. The locations and current allocation of spaces is shown on the table overleaf: 1 See http://www.bris.ac.uk/depts/bursar/transportplan Revision 10: January 2007 4
Location Car Parking Spaces Totals Annual Permits Depart- Mental Disabled E&FD Visitors Leased 26 Bedford Way 11 0 1 12 Engineering 1 1 2 Front Quad 1 1 5 7 Gower Place 2 2 Windeyer 6 4 10 Torrington 5m/c 1 9 5m/c Place (u/grnd) Torrington Place (surface) Total s M/c Cars 39 49 1 4 1 17 5 28 5 58 7 8 22 6 9 Fig. 2. Present Parking Spaces and Location 5 110 The locations referred to are indicated on the map in Figure 3 below. (Torrington Place parking is situated at 1 19 Torrington Place, shown in Figure 1) Fig. 3. The Bloomsbury Area Revision 10: January 2007 5
2.03 Allocation of Car Parking Spaces Referring to the Table, parking spaces are presently allocated as follows: A charge is made for annual staff parking permits, which normally guarantee a space. The current fees are: Salary less than 25,000 p. a.: Salary 25,000 p. a. or more: 893 per year (inc. VAT) (2001: 587) 1374.75 per year (inc. VAT) (2001: 893) At present all permits have been sold, although the parking spaces are not always occupied. By comparison neither the University of London nor Imperial College charge for parking by staff. Their limited spaces are available on a first come, first served basis to staff who are issued with parking permits. UCL s approach is to avoid over allocation which can result in unpredictable and unmanageable fluctuations on parking and traffic in neighbouring streets. Departmental Spaces These spaces are reserved for departmental vehicles used by certain academic departments in the course of their essential activities, and by the UCL Day Nursery. Parking for the Disabled These spaces are available at no charge to staff and students who have a relevant disability. Students and staff with disabilities and other relevant special needs are identified at the application and parking permit offer stages. Estates and Facilities Contractors and other service vehicles The Division allocates these spaces to contractors carrying out capital works or maintenance on UCL premises. Visitor Parking These are reserved for visitors to UCL; all entrances to the car parks are controlled ensuring that only bona fide visitors are able to enter by prior arrangement. Visitors are discouraged from travelling to UCL by car. Revision 10: January 2007 6
Leased Space Included in Figure 2 are 9 leased car parking spaces used by the tenants of parts of 1-19 Torrington Place (owned by UCL). UCL has an ongoing contractual obligation to provide these spaces. 2.04 Bicycle Parking UCL has racks accommodating 415 bicycles on the Bloomsbury Campus. The campus area is 156,614m 2. The UDP requirement is for cycle parking at a rate of 1:700. So, currently, the campus exceeds this provision. UCL will review demand annually and, as far as possible, adjust the provision accordingly. In addition, UCL has racks accommodating 254 bicycles at its student residences situated in Camden, plus 16 in Haringey. Provision at James Lighthill House in Islington will be reviewed after the completion of on going building works. 2.05 Other Allowances and Facilities Available to Staff UCL currently has the following policies in place to encourage staff to use transport methods other than the private car: Loans for the purchase of public transport season tickets are available, interest free, to permanent staff who work half time or more. Where staff use their bicycles for authorised business use UCL s Financial Regulations allow for reimbursement of costs where there is clear evidence of expenditure. Current tax regulations allow for an individual to claim up to 12 pence per mile for business bicycle use, when settling their personal tax position. UCL has produced a certificate, made available on the intranet, to facilitate such claims. All that is necessary is for details of travel to be recorded on the form, and for this to be certified by the Head of Department. Individuals then submit claims to the Inland Revenue with their annual tax returns. A motorcycle allowance ( 0.24 per mile) is payable. Travel information is made available to staff via UCL s internet and intranet sites 2. Links are provided to London Transport sites for bus and underground information and also to Network Rail. 2 http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ucl-info/aboutucl/whereweare.html Revision 10: January 2007 7
2.06 Campus Vehicles UCL has introduced electrically powered and dual fuel vehicles for use in and around its Central London complex. These vehicles are used for the collection and management if waste, mail services, distribution of goods and small removals. UCL currently has four electric and one dual fuel vehicles in operation, these are licensed for road use so that they are able to utilise the public roads between the various buildings. (2001: two electric vehicles only). 2.07 Working Hours A substantial portion of UCL s academic and administrative staff work flexible hours, easing the burden on rush hour public transport. 3.00 FUTURE POLICY THE PLAN Policy Statement: UCL supports Camden s Transport Strategy and will work in partnership with Camden to reduce the need for travel and, when travel is necessary, to assist Camden where possible, to secure greener, safer, accessible and better transport systems. Mid morning in Gower Street Revision 10: January 2007 8
3.01 Car Use A number of measures are being introduced to reduce the already limited car use by UCL staff, as follows: Parking spaces are being taken up by the many developments being undertaken at the campus. These spaces will not be replaced. Access to and parking on the Main and South Quadrangle areas and Malet Place is being restricted and more tightly controlled. Parking in these areas is being limited to people with relevant disabilities and essential service vehicles. Annual charges for the remaining parking permits will continue to be increased above the level of inflation. Proposed new rates for the next planned increase will see rates rise by approximately twice the forecast level of inflation. A number of parking spaces in the Torrington Place underground car park have been converted to provide covered bicycle and motorcycle parking. A survey was carried out of those holding annual parking permits in order to ascertain why they presently use motor cars to travel to work. The survey will be repeated to establish under what conditions, if any, they would change to using public transport, how UCL could facilitate such a change, and whether or not more car sharing would be feasible. The survey will also embrace the other users of parking spaces (Figure 2) and seek to establish the minimum number of parking spaces that are essential for the proper and reliable operation of UCL. 3.02 Public transport UCL will continue to encourage staff, students and visitors to use public transport for commuting and business travel by the following measures: UCL will maintain its policy of providing interest free loans to staff for the purchase of public transport season tickets. UCL regularly reviews the Internet links provided on its website (2.40 above) ensuring that it continues to provide the best available information on bus, underground and train services. Timetables and route maps obtained from local operators are made available to staff and students. Revision 10: January 2007 9
The possibility of providing and displaying relevant real-time timetable information will be explored. UCL s Student Union and UCL will continue to negotiate travel discounts with local public transport providers on behalf of students and staff. 3.03 Reducing the need to travel to work UCL has introduced a policy (the Work/Life Balance Policy) which enables, in appropriate cases, flexible working arrangements and, amongst other things, obviates the need for rush hour commuting and permits a measure of working at home. 3.04 Promotion of Cycling The Camden Cycling Plan Policy Statement: UCL endorses the aims and objectives of the Camden Cycling Plan and will take further steps to promote cycling as an alternative to private motorised transport. Copies of the Camden Cycling Plan have been made available to UCL Departments and Divisions. Cycle Routes UCL recognises the steps taken by Camden to facilitate cycling and to make cycling safer. Revision 10: January 2007 10
Mid morning in Torrington Place Students and staff have been made aware of present cycle routes and plans for future routes, including the major routes already established in the vicinity of UCL. UCL promotes awareness of cycling and participation by students and staff in cycling events and issues. Access to the Camden Cycling Campaign (CCC) and the London Cycling Campaign (LCC) web sites will be added to the UCL intranet sites. Selected organisations such as LCC are invited to provide leaflets, which are supplied to joining students and staff and made available throughout UCL. UCL acknowledge the problem of bicycle theft and security is an issue on what is effectively an open campus. Within these constraints UCL has located bicycle parking in both covered and more secure areas. Some have been provided by converting car park spaces (see 3.10). Schematic London Cycle Network UCL now has (2006) racks for 415 bicycles on the main campus plus racks for 270 at its student residencies. Revision 10: January 2007 11
The present accommodation will be increased in response to demand, and with due cognisance to the Camden Cycling Plan and the standards in the London Boroughs covered by this Plan, their respective Unitary Development Plans (UDP s), and the London Plan as appropriate. The Seven Stations Cycle Link 3.05 Promotion of Cycling New Developments & Existing Buildings New developments will incorporate lockers, changing rooms and showers to further encourage staff to cycle to work. In existing buildings major refurbishing projects will also incorporate such facilities where practicable. UCL is committed to assessing regularly the demand for facilities for cyclists across the College, and to ensuring that the supply of such facilities keeps pace, as far as possible, with demand. In new developments for teaching and research secure cycle parking will be provided having regard to UDP requirements and known demand. Revision 10: January 2007 12
3.06 Promotion of Cycling - Student Hostels UCL is committed to provide secure cycle parking in new student accommodation developments having regard to UDP requirements and known demand. UCL is committed to meet the demand for secure cycle parking at existing student residences where practicable. 3.07 Promotion of Cycling Financial Arrangements UCL will regularly review the arrangements for staff using bicycles for approved business travel. UCL will consider applications from staff for interest free loans for the purchase of cycles as an alternative to season ticket loans. 3.08 Fleet Vehicles When selecting vehicles for fleet use UCL will continue to consider fuel efficiency and whole life costing. New, greener technologies will be tested as they become available and adopted where appropriate. Where their use is practical UCL will continue to procure environmentally friendly electrically powered, LPG or dual fuel vehicles for campus use. 3.09 Deliveries 3.10 Mail Suppliers bidding for contracts are made aware of UCL s Travel Plan; environmental issues are taken into consideration when awarding contracts. Where a servicing management plan is required UCL will endeavour to ensure compliance with its requirements. UCL has taken steps to reduce reliance on conventional mail by promoting and developing electronic means of communication and dispatch; this is reducing postal and courier related traffic Revision 10: January 2007 13
3.11 Visitors UCL seeks to influence the travel choice of visitors by making them aware of the public transport options available, and by continuing to restrict the number of parking spaces available. They are made aware of the shortage of parking spaces at UCL and the difficulties in parking in the surrounding area and encouraged to use public or nonmotorised transport where possible. 3.12 Combined Heating and Power Project UCL has in operation a CHP scheme providing energy efficient power and heating for its build (see Figure 3). This has also had a beneficial impact in terms of reducing HGV deliveries to its sites. Gas fired generators, with the main installation housed on the main campus, generate electricity. The heat produced in the process is then be fed, via heat exchangers, to buildings for heating purposes. The generators operate at a level of efficiency comparable with that of a main power station (when taking into account transmission losses). The recovered heat is therefore provided to the buildings with no additional contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. UCL formerly used boilers at several different locations to provide heat, the majority of which were oil fired. The Project has thus improves the quality of emissions and also drastically reduced the number of fuel deliveries were, inevitably involving heavy tanker lorries. 3.13 Walking to Work UCL has an active policy of refurbishing and building student accommodation within walking distance of the main campus and actively seeks to influence Planning Policy with a view to facilitating the provision of adequate student housing within reasonable walking distance from it s main Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia sites Pedestrian access points to UCL are indicated on the UCL internet site (see also Fig. 3). UCL supports the Camden Walking Plan as a central part of the Green Transport Strategy. 3.14 Marketing Revision 10: January 2007 14
UCL believes it vital to the success of the plan that staff and students accept ownership of it. The Plan should not be perceived as anti-car but rather it is to give staff and students more choice and encourage them to try and use alternatives. The Travel Plan and related issues are featured regularly on the UCL intranet. Interested Departments and student groups have been invited to promote the Travel Plan. Revision 10: January 2007 15