Universities and colleges generate substantial travel of:

• Staff and students commuting to their place of work or study
  
• Staff and students travelling off campus for work or study reasons
  
• Overseas students travelling to and from the UK
  
• Suppliers deliveries and collections.

All forms of travel (except cycling and walking) consume fuel and therefore create emissions of carbon dioxide and pollution. Air and car travel are generally the worst environmental modes. However, the precise emissions per passenger kilometre depend upon the number of passengers, the condition of the carrier (newer cars or planes are generally more fuel efficient and less polluting than old) and local conditions.

The worst form of transport from an environmental perspective is an older car containing only a driver stuck in stop-start traffic – which of course describes the travel of many staff and students! Hence, the key environmental aim of university and college transport policies has to be minimising car usage.

One solution to this problem is greater use of public transport. In many areas universities and colleges are major generators of bus passengers and therefore can have a considerable influence on routings, service levels and fares.

Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) 13 requires universities and colleges (like all large organisations) to promote and integrate sustainable transport choices. As the business case section discusses, there are also other reasons for taking transport seriously.