In accordance with our University Travel Plan we encourage all University staff, students, contractors and visitors to consider alternative modes to single occupant private car when travelling to the University. Visit all our Sustainable Travel pages for more information.
For those who do need to drive, you can find all of the information you need on this page to help you get to the University while making your trip more sustainable.
Did you know that there are two sites at the University from you can hire a car for periods as little as 30 minutes by joining our Co-wheels Car Club scheme? Whether you need to travel to business trips during the working day or for students to explore the wider Reading area without needing to buy a car. Car Clubs are an excellent initiative where members can hire a car by the hour, minimising the need for people to own their own cars, reducing personal expense, unnecessary journeys and the need for home parking. We have membership offers available for both staff and students to help get you on the road with Co-wheels!
- Offer for all: Membership is free to University staff and students (when using a University of Reading email address to register), and you can even get £25 worth of free driving credit when you sign up!
- Offer for staff: The University has a business account with Co-wheels allowing staff to register to join the University account. This allows you to book any of the vehicles across Reading for University business. Simply include the relevant project code as the 'Booking Description code' when making a booking so that the cost can be recharged back to the relevant departments. Staff also have the option of adding a personal account to their staff account and, by using the 'UOR25' promo code, can receive £25 driver credit for personal bookings and no monthly fees.
There are two Co-wheels cars located at the University:
- Dunsden Crescent, in Park Group halls. (northernmost Co-wheels marker on map)
- Sherfield Hall Reception, in Northcourt Group halls. (most westerly Co-wheels marker on map)
- Co-wheels also have further cars around Reading that members have access to, once they have signed up, including on Addington Road, near London Road campus.
Access their interactive map here to explore further locations in Reading and beyond.
T&Cs: To join, you must be aged 19+ and have held a full British driving license for a minimum of 12 months. If you are aged 25 or under, you must possess a clean license with 0 points or endorsements. For more information see http://www.co-wheels.org.uk/uor
Are you ready to cut your carbon emissions by sharing your commute? The University has an exciting lift-share scheme provided via our Doing UoR Bit platform. The Lift Share tool connects you with other Doing UoR Bit users who would like to share their commute - either by car, public transport, cycling or walking. University of Reading has an Emergency Lift Home Policy to ensure that members of the UoR lift share scheme are able to get home, should unforseen circumstances occur which prevent their normal lift share home taking place.
Lift sharing is a fantastic way to:
| Save money | Minimise traffic congestion | Reduce air pollution |
| Meet new people and make friends | Earn Green Points on the Doing UoR Bit platform | Reduce carbon emissions |
Finding likeminded commuters to share a lift with is very straightforward. Simply log in to your Doing UoR Bit page, click on the Lift Sharing tab in the top left corner and follow our video guide below:
Have you considered Park and Ride as a travel option? By using public transport to travel into and around Reading, you are reducing the number of single occupancy vehicles (SOVs) on the road, reducing traffic, urban air pollution and emissions.
We are now offering a FREE Park and Ride for staff and students from Mereoak (Junction 11 of the M4, RG7 1WJ).
We have partnered with Reading Buses and Royal Berkshire NHS Trust to deliver this exciting new sustainable travel option. Staff and students can now use the Hospital P&R 300 from Mereoak. Members of the public can also pay to use the service, all the fare details can be found here.
How to take advantage of this fantastic new service:
- Simply show your University of Reading Campus Card to the bus driver
- Free parking at Mereoak is included, no permit needed
- Use the Christchurch Green stop for Whiteknights campus and the Royal Berkshire Hospital stop for the London Road campus
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it really free?
Yes! Simply show your University of Reading Campus card to the driver.
Is the parking at Mereoak free?
Yes, parking is included for free at Mereoak, with no permit needed. The signs referencing registering your vehicle are not applicable to staff and students from the University of Reading.
How can I find out the latest bus arrival times?
Simply download the Reading Buses app to get live bus arrival information.
Where do I get off the 300 service for Whiteknights campus?
Get off at the Christchurch Green stop (situated at the top of Redlands Road) for Whiteknights, which is a 10 minute walk to Palmer Quad. See this link for the directions: Christchurch Green (Redlands Road) to Palmer Quad
Where do I get on the 300 service, travelling from Whiteknights campus to Mereoak?
Get on at Christchurch Green stop (situated on A327, Christchurch Road – next door to the Queen’s Head pub). This is a 10 minute walk from Palmer Quad. Please flag the bus down if it does not appear to be stopping.
See this link for directions: Palmer Quad to Christchurch Green (Christchurch Road, next to Queen's Head pub)
Where do I get off the 300 service, for the London Road campus?
Get off at the Royal Berkshire Hospital main entrance stop on Craven Road, which is a 8 minute walk to the main entrance of the London Road campus. Make sure you flag the 300 P&R service if the bus deosn't appear to be stopping.
See this link for directions: RBH Main Entrance to London Road campus
Where do I get on the 300 service, travelling from London Road campus to Mereoak?
Get on at Royal Berkshire Hospital main entrance stop on Craven Road, which is a 7 minute walk from the main entrance of the London Road campus. Please flag the bus down if it doesn't appear to be stopping.
See this link for directions: RBH Main Entrance to London Road campus
Can I bring my children on the 300 service?
Yes, your children can travel with you for free.
Where can I find the timetable for the 300 service?
Please see this link for the full 300 timetable.
What stops can I use along the 300 route?
The service is non-stop from Mereoak to Christchurch Green and then to the Royal Berkshire hospital.
University of Reading staff and students are free to board / disembark at any of the designated stops as shown on the timetable. Please flag the bus down if it doesn't appear to be stopping.
Can I park at Thames Valley Park and board the 300 there?
Yes, University of Reading staff and students can board at Thames Valley Park but you must pay locally for parking at this location. Parking is only free at Mereoak.
How do I cancel my parking permit?
Staff - simply return your staff parking permit to Palmer reception and your payments will be stopped from the next available payroll run. See: Staff Parking FAQs (reading.ac.uk) for more information.
Students - Email campusparking@reading.ac.uk with the reason you wish to cancel your permit. Refunds will only be provided for full unused terms and only when the permit has been returned to Campus Services. See Student parking for more information.
Can members of the public use the Hospital 300 P&R?
Yes, anyone can use the service. You can find full fare details here.
Mereoak Park & Ride time lapse video
For general Park and Ride information, visit the Reading Buses website.
There are three electric vehicle charging points across the University campuses that are publicly available:
- Whiteknights campus: Two charging ports (Site 4031 and site 4059) in the SportsPark car park with capacity to charge up to four vehicles at once.
- Greenlands campus: One charging port (Site 13758) at the visitors car park, with capacity to charge up to two vehicles at once.
Use the BP Pulse Live Map to check current status and availability of ports.
To use the facilities, users will be required to sign up to the BP Pulse (Polar) network - membership is available on a monthly subscription or on a pay-as-you-go basis (please note that the pay-as-you-go scheme carries higher charges). Electricity will be charged at the current BP Pulse charging rate, further details can be found here. Users will be able to charge their vehicles for a maximum of four hours per session, so that we can accommodate as many users as possible each day.
The standard parking policy for the SportsPark car park will continue to apply (a University permit, or pay and display fee of £1.50 per hour, or £10 for all day, from the 1st of August 2019).
Car and motorcycle parking is available on all our campuses to those with permits or visitor permits. Whiteknights campus has a pay and display car park (1a) for visitors or staff who only occasionally need to bring a car to campus. This car park is £1.50 per hour and £10 for all day from the 1st of August 2019. 20 minute parking bays are available outside our main Whiteknights House and London Road Receptions for brief enquiries.
Parking Permits
All parking permits issued are a permit to hunt rather than a guarantee of a space. Please help the University be a good neighbour and only park on campus and do not block neighbouring residential streets. Visit the University parking permits information pages.
Staff parking
Parking permits are available to staff for a monthly fee, which is deducted from salary. Options for those who only occasionally need to park are available. For more information or to apply please see staff parking information pages.
Student parking
Students meeting strict eligibility criteria may purchase a parking permit. Student parking information pages.
Visitor parking
Visitors should be directed to the Pay and Display Car Park 1a.
This is £1.50 per hour and £10 for all day, from the 1st August 2019.
Alternatively the department you are visiting may arrange a visitor or contractor permit for you. For certain larger events separate parking will be arranged – please follow the instructions provided on the day. Further parking information for visitors.