University of Reading decarbonisation plan: winning the Energy Management Award (EMA) for its Business Travel Carbon Budgets

By jackiesimpsonDec 18, 20240 Comments
We’re delighted to announce that the University of Reading has been recognised for its ambitious business travel carbon budgets project that aimed to encourage schools and directorates cut their carbon emissions.  The University has long made sustainability a central priority. As part of its strategic plan 2020-2026, the University of Reading is committed to ambitious environmental targets, including achieving Net Zero Carbon emissions by 2030. One of the key components of this plan was to address the carbon emissions resulting from business travel. The University acknowledged that the business travel is an area often overlooked despite the significant impact on…
Awards and Achievements, Energy and Water, Travel and Transport
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Library bike store security upgrade

By jackiesimpsonOct 31, 20240 Comments
Cycle theft is a significant concern on many campuses across the UK, and the University of Reading is no exception. To address this issue, we are committed to enhancing available infrastructure as part of an important project, with the purpose of improving cycle security across Whiteknights Campus. As part of our University Travel Plan, we want to encourage staff, students, and visitors to travel sustainably, ensuring everyone feels confident cycling to campus and knowing their bikes will be stored securely. Currently, we offer 4,239 cycle parking spaces throughout campus, including five secure bicycle sheds at Whiteknights and additional secure storage…
Travel and Transport
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Brand new University bus service!

By jackiesimpsonAug 22, 20240 Comments
We are pleased to announce the launch of a new bus service coming to Whiteknights campus from 21st September! The White Knight 20, developed by Reading Buses, has been tailored to University life and will provide an express service between Reading Town Centre and train station and campus during term time. The White Knight 20 will run up to every 10 minutes during term time peak periods with a travel time of 15 minutes or less between campus and the station. During the first half of Semester 1 (until October half term) the service will be enhanced, running up to…
Travel and Transport
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We have a new 5 year Travel Plan!

By jackiesimpsonJul 24, 20240 Comments
The University has now published its new five-year Travel Plan (2024-2029) What is a Travel Plan? A Travel Plan is a document that outlines the University’s commitments to changing travel behaviour by staff, students and visitors over the next five years. Why do we need one? The way we travel affects, and is affected by, our day-to-day lives. Whilst we understand the environmental and congestion related impacts of polluting forms of transport, our choices are often dictated by personal circumstance. It is vital that a plan is in place to manage the way that travel can be: As sustainable as…
Travel and Transport
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Student results from 2024 Travel Survey

By jackiesimpsonMay 22, 20240 Comments
Thank you to all 500+ of you who completed our 2024 Travel Survey, and congratulations again to the winners of our prize draw, who in total received £500 of supermarket vouchers! We had some great results this year. Importantly, the survey showed that our students are already travelling sustainably wherever possible, with an average of 90.5% of journeys to and from campus already made by sustainable modes (including walking, cycling and public transport). You can read the full results here. The survey gave the opportunity for our students to have their say on potential future improvements to sustainable travel. We…
Travel and Transport
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The results are in from our 2024 Staff Travel Survey

By jackiesimpsonMay 20, 20240 Comments
Thank you to all of you who completed our 2024 Travel Survey, and congratulations again to the winners of our prize draw, who in total received £500 of supermarket vouchers! We had a great response rate this year from staff, with over 1,200 responses (over 30% response rate) which is the highest since 2014. You can read the full results here. The way we conducted our staff survey changed this year to include much more information on working patterns, which have changed significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic and impact greatly on the way we travel. For example, the survey showed…
Travel and Transport
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University P&R grows in popularity

By jackiesimpsonApr 15, 20240 Comments
The free University Park & Ride from Mereoak (Junction 11 M4) is becoming increasingly popular, with an average of 545 journeys made per month in the Autumn 2023, compared with just 14 journeys per month in Autumn 2022. This huge increase is great news as it is saving staff and students money, reducing congestion and air pollution. The service was introduced in September 2022 as a trial, with the offer extended to students in January 2023. The service is now well established and allows people to get to Whiteknights and London Road swiftly and without stress. The service runs from…
Travel and Transport
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Sustainable Travel Day on 6 March

By jackiesimpsonFeb 21, 20240 Comments
Save the Date! On 6 March from 11:00-14:00 the Sustainability team are hosting a Sustainable Travel Day in Palmer Quad. The day will feature lots of exciting opportunities to explore sustainable modes of transport and the benefits that they can bring to your health and our environment. Highlights include: Explore our beautiful campus, find out the benefits of meditation and see what signs of Spring you can spot on our nature walk from 11:30-12:30. Sign up here Discover Whiteknights by bike on our Campus cycle ride from 13:30-14:00. Sign up here Win free travel with Reading Buses Get bike security…
Travel and Transport
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University of Reading Travel Survey 2024

By jackiesimpsonJan 10, 20240 Comments
We all have to travel to University, now it is your chance to have your say. The Sustainability Team want to know how you currently travel, what you would like to see improved and any other travel ideas. Students - Complete the survey Staff – Complete the survey     This year, we’re offering the chance to enter a prize draw to win one of 3x£100 or 10x£20 ASDA or M&S vouchers which would be a welcome treat to brighten up January! The feedback from the survey will form the basis of our new 5 year travel plan so now…
Travel and Transport
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How to keep your bike secure

By jackiesimpsonDec 04, 20230 Comments
  Bicycle thefts, attempted thefts and damages are a nationwide issue, and our campuses are unfortunately not exempt. We continually work to improve security around our cycle parking to ensure that cycling remains an attractive, safe and viable option for our staff, students and visitors.     What do we do already? Thousands of cycle parking spaces, including secure cycle compounds across Whiteknights campus and at various Halls; Our Security team actively works to tackle cycle thefts through ‘Operation Velo’; We offer free bicycle security labels and discounted bike locks (available from the Security window at Whiteknights House); Our weekly…
Travel and Transport
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