Travel to Work Group Report (5 March 1999)

Permits for reserved car parks are allocated solely on a time-queue basis, with the current waiting list over 5 years in length. Only long-standing members of staff possess a permit and new permits only become available when an existing member of staff retires or leaves the University. Although more permits are sold than there are places, spaces often lie empty as many permit holders only work part-time or do not drive to work every day . Many departments are unhappy with the scheme as they are unable to attract new members of staff to the University with the promise of a guaranteed parking place.

Unreserved car parks operate on a "license to hunt" arrangement, with three times as many permits sold, as there are parking places. Staff often need to arrive at 8 am or earlier to find a parking space in an unreserved car park. Less than half of unreserved permit holders are happy with the existing scheme compared to over three-quarters of reserved permit holders .

The current cost of each type of parking permit, £11.50 per annum for an unreserved permit and 0.18% of salary for a reserved permit, is insufficient to cover the University's cost of maintaining and administering each space. Therefore the current charging structure represents a hidden subsidy to car drivers (See Appendix F). Table 2 indicates how inexpensive University parking is compared to other parking provision or transport methods within Bristol.

Both types of University parking permit are sold annually, so once staff have purchased a permit there is no incentive for them to consider using alternative modes of transport to get to work. The low cost of a car parking permit does not offer any incentive for car-sharing and ensures that it is far cheaper to drive to work than for car drivers to use public transport, as shown in Table 2.

Visitors and contractors visiting the University currently park for free in University car parks and outside of the normal working day, anyone can park in any car park. Insufficient revenue generation from car parking has resulted in inadequate investment in the maintenance of car park fabric; the enforcement of car parking rules and walking and cycling provision.

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4. Recommendations for the new scheme

4.1 The principle of the new scheme

Each of the problems highlighted above cannot be tackled in isolation, but must be addressed within a single package or Commuter Plan. It is crucial that a combined "carrot and stick" approach is used as the basis for implementing change at the University. If penalties in the form of increased parking charges are implemented without the incentives to encourage staff to use other modes of transport other than the private car, there will be considerable staff dissatisfaction with the proposals. Conversely if incentives are implemented without penalties then the University parking problems will not be diminished.

The main thrust of the Plan is to actively encourage fewer University staff to drive to work. This objective will be achieved by; increasing the cost of car parking; introducing pay & display car parks; restricting the availability of reserved permits to staff living within 2 miles of the precinct and encouraging car-sharing and the use of alternative modes of transport such as public transport, cycling and walking. Increased car parking charges will not only allow investment in encouraging alternative modes of transport but also allow investment in other essential University services.

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4.2 The importance of a coordinated transport strategy

For the Commuter Plan to be successful it is crucial that adequate resources are allocated to implementing the scheme. Many staff will need personalised information and advice about the different travel options open to them. Wide-spread publicity will be required to advertise the new shuttle bus, the details of the car-sharing scheme and the other transport initiatives outlined in this document.

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4.3 The welfare and financial implications of the new scheme for individual members of staff

For the proposed commuter plan to be successful it must alter how many staff travel to work. There will obviously be financial implications for some staff, particularly those who currently travel to work by car and receive, what are in effect "subsidised" car parking spaces. These staff will either have to pay more if they wish to continue to drive to work and park or travel to work by an alternative method of transport. Increased charges will potentially affect lower paid members of staff more acutely than higher paid ones. Yet the University cannot maintain a reserved parking permit charge system based on a percentage of salary because this would make it cheaper for a lower paid member of staff to buy a reserved permit than to use a pay & display car park for every day of the year. This contravenes the important principle that it must always be cheaper to use a pay & display car park than to purchase a reserved parking permit, a principle that is discussed in more detail in Appendix G.

It must not be forgotten there are also a significant number of lower paid staff who currently travel to work by bus, who with the introduction of the new scheme will benefit from the free shuttle bus and option of purchasing interest-free bus permits. A half day charge set at half the cost of the full day tariff will ensure that part-time staff and visitors are not unfairly penalised under the new scheme.

There are a small group of staff who use their car during the day or on the way to work on non-University business. The travel survey indicates that about 300 staff who work in the main precinct drop off family members on their way to work. Of this number only 50 or so staff indicated that they would continue to drive to work whatever travel incentives the University offered. All these staff would be catered for under the new system, they would merely be obliged to pay more money if they wished to park.

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4.4 The overall finances of the new scheme

Appendix F summaries the income and expenditure account for the scheme, based on the recommendations detailed below in sections 5 and 6. The figures err on the conservative side with low estimates for pay & display revenue generated outside normal University hours. Table 3 is a summary of Appendix F and shows the summary income and expenditure account for the overall Commuter Plan.

Table 4 outlines the recommended charges for parking in a reserved or pay and display car park in the University precinct. The charges proposed in 2001 and beyond might well have to be revised in line with local and national changes in transport legislation. The rationale behind the level of the proposed car parking charges is explained in Appendix G, which also discusses the difficulties of a charging scheme based on a percentage of salary. Appendix H explains why the Working Group has recommended a proportion of pay & display and reserved parking spaces, with income and expenditure accounts detailing the finances of an all reserved or all pay & display scheme.

It is important to note that the minimum lead-in time needed to implement the recommendations outlined below is four months. The proposed start date for introducing the new scheme is 1/10/1999, so the decision to go ahead needs to be made before 1/6/1999. It is crucial that an implementation plan for the overall scheme is drawn up. The Security Officer will be responsible for the management of parking and it is recommended that the Travel to Work Group should be charged with overseeing and coordinating implementation of the new scheme.

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4.5 Consultation on the Commuter Plan

Over the last year several articles have appeared in the University Newsletter, outlining possible changes to the management of University car parks and asking for staff comments. Accompanying the recent parking permit renewal forms sent out by the University, staff were invited for comments or observations on how the University could reduce demand on car parks and encourage other means of travel.

A travel survey undertaken by ILRT was sent out to all members of University staff in October 1998 (see Appendix I). It gauged opinion on the possible incentives that the University could implement to reduce car usage. The survey was divided into three sections, the first section addressed how staff get to work; the second asked about existing and future car parking management measures and section three gauged opinion on some of the incentives that the University could offer to help reduce staff car usage. Feedback from the survey was positive, with over a 50% response rate. Data from the survey have been used throughout this document to indicate the likely popularity of the some of the recommendations (see Appendix I:1).

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5. Recommended changes in car park management

5.1 The principle of pay & display car parks

The purchase of an annual parking permit encourages staff to obtain the maximum benefit from it and use it every day. With pay & display, which is a flexible charging scheme, staff would only pay on the day that they used a parking space. This would give car drivers a real incentive to be more flexible about how they travelled to work and only drive when they needed to. The travel survey indicated that out of 900 staff who work in the precinct and drive to work, two-thirds usually drive to work while the other third only sometimes or occasionally wish to drive to work. Pay & Display is particularly suited to these occasional car users.

The possession of a valid pay & display permit would not guarantee a parking space, but merely a license to hunt for a space. More pay & display permits would be sold than there are spaces, but many permit holders would only sometimes or occasionally wish to drive to work. The overall result would be that there would be more parking spaces available for more staff than under the present system. Hence individuals would find it easier to park when required, than under the present unreserved parking scheme.

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5.2 How a pay & display parking scheme would work at the University

There are two different ways of implementing a pay & display parking scheme at the University. The usual method of installing pay & display machines is detailed and costed below. Another scheme, which is used by Bath and North East Somerset Council for their residents' parking scheme, is described in Appendix J, but was not felt by the Working Group to be a viable option at Bristol University.

Under the recommended scheme specific car parks detailed in Appendix K would be designated pay and display, each one containing one or more pay & display machines similar in function and appearance to the machines on Woodland Road owned by Bristol City Council. It is only cost-effective for larger car parks with in excess of 20 parking bays to be converted to pay & display. The costs of this option are detailed in Appendix F. University staff would be allowed to park if they displayed a valid annual pay & display permit costing £10, as well as a valid ticket for the day of parking or a pay & display one day pass. Table 4 summarises the proposed daily charge for parking in a pay & display car park.

Visitors to the University, such as contractors or visiting academics would only be permitted to park if they purchased a pay & display ticket as well as displaying a pay & display temporary pass. Passes would be obtained from the Security Lodge or Porters lodges. They would be free of charge but require the user to detail the nature of their business at the University. Frequent visitors, service engineers and where a vehicle on site is essential, would be able to purchase special annual pay & display permits. Prepaid pay & display permit cards would be available for lay-members of the University, so they could park without having to purchase a pay & display ticket. Parking arrangements for visitors are outlined in more detail in Appendix L. It is important that any scheme is easy to monitor and enforce, to ensure that members of the public do not abuse the scheme.

To use a pay & display car park there would be a charge per working day, which would entitle the payee to park from 8 am until 6 pm. Parking for up to 4 hours or until 1 pm on any working day, which ever is the longer, would cost half the amount of parking all day and would ensure that part-time staff and University visitors were not unfairly penalised.

There is the capability with pay & display machines to use a different tariff outside normal working hours. Appendix F assumes a minimal level of income from this type of use. Appendix F outlines the factors determining the size of revenue stream that the University can expect in the short to medium term.

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5.3 The principle of reserved car parks and the factors determining the designation of reserved and pay & display car parks

From the University's perspective there are many car parks where it is not cost effective to install pay & display machines, so an alternative system is required. It is proposed that these smaller car parks would all be managed under a reserved permit regime, similar in concept to current reserved car parks. Staff would purchase an annual permit which would guarantee them a designated parking space in a specific car park for an entire year. The staff travel survey suggests that 17% of car drivers who work in the precinct and currently drive to work on their own will continue to do so in the future, whatever other travel incentives the University introduces.

Reserved car parking spaces would prove popular because although they would be more expensive than using a pay & display car park for the 230 days, a reserved parking permit would provide a guaranteed parking space, a more straightforward method of payment and an easier way of splitting car-sharing costs. It should be cheaper to use a pay & display car park for 230 working days rather than a purchasing an annual permit for a reserved car park. This pricing structure should ensure that there is less incentive to purchase a reserved parking permit, and no encouragement to drive to work every day.

Appendix H explains the criteria which the Travel to Work Group used to determine the relative number of reserved and pay & display spaces and details the draw-backs of an all reserved or all pay & display parking system. In the light of Appendix H, Appendix K details exactly which car parks the Group recommends should be under which permit regime.

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5.4 How the reserved parking scheme would work at the University

Unlike the existing scheme, permits would be allocated on an annual basis. Each year all permits would be reallocated with no guarantee that an existing permit holder will necessarily receive a permit in the future. The cost of the permit would be levied by monthly direct debit from staff salaries. Visitors would not be permitted to park in reserved car parks, but only pay & display spaces. It is likely that there would be over-demand for the limited number of reserved car parking spaces. Appendix M outlines the proposed criteria which would be used to determine how reserved permits would be allocated.

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5.5 Setting the level of pay & display and reserved parking tariffs

Appendix G discusses the factors determining the level that car parking charges should be set at. It explains what the recommended car parking charges are and why they are not based on a percentage of salary. It is recommended that charges will increase progressively, as shown in Table 4, but significant local and national transport initiatives such as road pricing and non-residential parking permits, will make regular review crucial.

It is difficult to make an exact comparison with car parking charges at other Universities, but with the introduction of the proposed scheme, Bristol University would have the highest reserved permit charges outside London, but would be in line with other institutions for pay & display charges. There are at least three Universities outside London that have a charging structure similar to the one proposed for the University of Bristol. At Northumbria University an annual parking permit for a guaranteed space costs £300 + VAT and a "license to hunt" permit costs £60. Warwick University also have a number of guaranteed spaces, costing £309 per permit and £80 for a "license to hunt" permit. Sheffield University charge £275 for a permit guaranteeing a parking space, £55-£165 for a "license to hunt" permit depending on salary and £2 per day for a pay & display space.

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5.6 How University precinct car parks will be managed

The new car parking regulations will recognise that if staff are paying a significant amount of money for a parking permit, there must be tighter enforcement of the parking rules. A greater reliance on fines and wheel clamping may be needed in order to police the scheme but this will be looked on ostensibly as an management tool rather than a means of raising revenue. Once the policy has been determined appropriate Rules for the management and control parking will be drawn-up and promulgated.

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5.7 Provision for staff who need to use their cars during the working day

Appendix N details the future of all the existing types of University car parking permit. Staff who use their car on a daily basis to carry out essential services to the University and therefore need a guaranteed parking space, are called UPH or University Users. Under the new scheme UPH users will not receive a free parking permit, but will be able to claim back their parking costs on each day that they use their car on University business. Careful assessment will be made of all existing UPH permit holders to determine whether they will qualify for a permit under the new scheme. Personnel will undertake a review of staff who feel that they fall into the "University User" category together with those whose employment requires extensive use of a vehicle on departmental purposes. Departmental reserved permit holders will lose their permits but may be eligible for a University User permit if they fulfil the necessary requirements.

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5.8 Measures to encourage University staff to car-share

It is important that the University encourages car-sharing as the travel survey indicated that an improved car-sharing scheme is the only incentive that the University can offer to many staff to stop them driving to work on their own. University staff who jointly register for a reserved permit with at least one other member of University staff will have preferential allocation of the most convenient parking space, compared to those who do not. At least two of the car-sharers would have to live outside of the 2 miles exclusion zone. These individuals would be charged the price of a single permit but each vehicle registered on the permit would be allowed to use the car park as long as only one vehicle per permit was parked at any one time in the allocated bay or car park. In exceptional circumstances a car-sharer would be allowed to park in a pay & display car park subject to the normal daily charge. Hence any staff who car-share would be able to share the permit cost, which could be directly deducted from their salaries. In the event of emergency unforeseen circumstances the University would offer a guaranteed ride home scheme for staff registered as car-sharers. This has proved a successful, low-cost tool to encourage car-sharing in Nottingham County Council's car-sharing scheme, giving car-sharers greater peace of mind.

The success of both car-sharing schemes will be reliant on the creation of a sophisticated, up to date database of all University car users interested in car-sharing.

The formal system of car-sharing outlined above for reserved permit holders would not be applicable for pay & display permit holders. The University would attempt to match journeys, but these staff would not receive the same benefits as the scheme for reserved permit holders. Members of staff who wished to car-share with non-University staff would have to do so on an informal basis, as it is not envisaged that non-University staff will be included in the University car-sharing database.

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5.9 How an exclusion zone would be implemented at the University

Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis has shown that 20% of University staff live within 1 mile of the University precinct and 36% live within 2 miles of the precinct. 69% of respondents to the travel survey thought that there should be an exclusion zone for staff living within a certain distance from their place of work, while 69% of respondents agreed that it should extend for at least two miles for the University. Interestingly 67% of car drivers also agreed that there should be an exclusion zone.

In the light of these results it is recommended that staff who work in the University precinct and live within two miles of the precinct would be excluded for possessing a reserved permit, although they would still be able to use any pay & display car park. The exclusion zone would be calculated from the central point of the precinct, which will be defined as the Woodland Road/ Tyndall Avenue junction. If these changes were introduced 20% of staff who work in the main precinct and drive to work would be ineligible for a reserved permit.

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5.10 Teleworking / Homeworking

Members of University staff can access University computers from home or "telework" with the use of a modem which dials up the University's main remote access facility, CRAF (Chargeable Remote Access Facility). CRAF offers a wide range of facilities, a high capacity, and is available only by subscription. The service is provided for use in the University's work of teaching and research, and for other activities carried out in support of it. CRAF may be used for these purposes by all members of the University staff and by all undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Any member of staff wishing to use CRAF currently has to pay an annual registration fee of £25 per annum. They are also required to pay the cost of the telephone calls to CRAF, which for staff within Bristol are charged at the local call rate. Individual departments currently have varying policies on the issue as teleworking raises significant management issues. It is recommended that the issue should be investigated in detail and that a University-wide policy should be agreed, which will not be pre-empted by this document.

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5.11 Recommendations for non-centrally managed University car parks

At present all car parks in the main University precinct are managed by the Security Office, but there are hundreds more spaces at the Stoke Bishop & Clifton Halls of Residence; the Students Union and Langford which are locally controlled (Detailed in Table 5). If charges are going to significantly increase for all centrally controlled car parks, there is a strong case for all other University car parks to be included as well. However, it must be recognised that there are few travel options other than the private car available to staff who work at certain other University sites.

The discussion of detailed changes in car parking charges at Langford and at the Stoke Bishop and Clifton Halls of Residence is outside the remit of this document. The Halls of Residence and Langford should manage their parking locally, in the light of arrangements for the main precinct.

It is proposed that the Students Union car park should come under the administrative control of the Security Office to allow a coordinated enforcement strategy across the University precinct. It has 50 spaces, which staff and students currently park in for free. Several University departments have recently moved into the building and competition for spaces, especially during the day, is intense. This is further compounded because it is the only car park in or near the central precinct in which students are allowed to park. Although the Students Union is concerned with the principle of students having to pay to park, it recognises that demand for parking spaces is such that action needs to be taken to rectify the situation.

Under the proposed scheme, a pay & display machine would be installed in the Students Union car park. Both staff and students would be able to purchase permits, allowing them to park if they display a valid pay & display ticket. Students would therefore compete equally with Union and University members of staff for the use of parking spaces. The majority of students are likely to want to park in the late afternoon and evening, rather than all day, so it might be possible to have free parking in the evening for student permit holders. The car park would be managed centrally by the University, but any revenue generated by the scheme, after running costs have been accounted for, would be retained by the Students Union.

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6. University initiatives to encourage alternatives to the private car

6.1 Buses

FirstBus plc, the main bus operator in Bristol and the surrounding area offers a 10% reduction in the standard cost of a FirstBus Commuter Season ticket, if as an employer the University sells the passes directly to University staff or students. Currently the Students Union does not sell discounted annual bus passes to staff. A discounted 12 week "Rover" card is available, but this is of little use to most staff and payment has to be made in a single instalment, which would be a considerable outlay for many staff. It is proposed that the University would sell annual bus season tickets and pass on the entire 10% saving to staff. Payment of the passes would be made by direct deduction from staff salaries on a monthly basis and would represent an interest-free purchase for staff. This is not viewed by the Inland Revenue as a taxable bonus. The staff travel survey indicated that this measure would encourage 17% of existing car drivers who travel on their own to use the bus and 66% of existing bus users would take advantage of this provision.

The University is willing to purchase season or annual bus passes on behalf of members of University staff who wish to commute by bus on services run by other bus operators. These individuals would then be able to purchase annual passes directly from the University on interest-free credit, the cost of which would be deducted in 12 monthly instalments straight from the staff member's salary. As a further incentive to encourage bus use, 5 or 10 prepaid pay & display permit cards could be provided for annual pass holders, so they could park on the odd occasion without charge.

There is a relatively frequent bus service which travels through the University precinct, run by FirstBus plc and subsided by Bristol City Council for early morning, late night and weekend services. The route is circular and only serves Redland, Clifton, the city centre and Temple Meads. This service has two different types of University user; residents of Clifton and Redland who take the bus directly to the University, and bus and train users who have already made one journey and are using the 8/9 service as a link from Temple Meads, bus station or the city centre, up to the University. The 8/9 service costs over £1 return, which for many staff is in addition to their first bus or train fare. Because of the cost and also the indirect nature of the 8/9 route, the majority of the University precinct staff who normally alight at the centre walk up the hill to the University.

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6.2 A free University Shuttle Bus from the city centre to University precinct

At present UBHT operates a free hospital bus which travels between Bristol hospitals and the centre of the city. It is proposed that the University of Bristol joins forces with the UBHT free hospital bus service to operate a combined service serving central Bristol hospitals and the University. The benefits of this service compared to the only other bus service that travels from the centre to the University precinct are that; it would be free; it would be more frequent and the route from the centre to the University would be far more direct and consequently quicker. The shuttle bus would benefit both staff coming to work by bus or train and also those who walk to work through the city centre. Over a quarter of respondents to the travel questionnaire indicated that they would use the service.

Discussions with UBHT have indicated that they would be prepared for the existing bus route to be altered so that it travelled through the University precinct. Appendix O shows the existing bus route and outlines the new proposed route. It is suggested that there should be two slightly different routes, both travelling through the University precinct. Both routes will travel in an anti-clockwise direction, although the frequency of service on each route will differ, depending on the time of day.

Currently two buses serve the free bus route at a 15 -20 minute frequency. It is envisaged that the University would purchase an additional vehicle and full-time driver, which would increase the total number of vehicles in the service and enable an increase in frequency of service to between 7 - 17 minutes. The current service runs from 0730 until 1630 which from the University's perspective starts too late and finishes too early. It is proposed that the hours of operation of the service be extended in the morning from 0730 to 0630 and in the evening from 1630 to 1800. The extended operating hours would enable cleaners and staff finishing work later to use the service.

The current route travels within 1/4 mile of Temple Meads, but UBHT recognises the benefit in slightly extending the service to Temple Meads. The University is also keen for the service to be extended because the staff travel survey indicated a lot of interest in a frequent bus service from Temple Meads. The blue line in Appendix O indicates the proposed extension to the existing route allowing it to service Temple Meads, the only difficulty being the additional time it would add to the bus service. The route and times of the service will need to be reviewed, once it is in operation.

The existing service is free of charge and no checks are made to determine whether passengers are legitimate users of the service. Abuse of the service by non-authorised users is thought to be small, but with the extension of the service to Temple Meads and the University's involvement there are likely to be many more users and consequently greater scope for abuse. The installation of sophisticated card-readers on buses would be very expensive and slow down the entrance time of passengers. It is proposed that University staff would be required to show their University identification cards to the bus driver upon entrance to the vehicle, while UBHT staff could do the same and patients could show their appointment cards.

Although the new service would be a partnership between UBHT and the University of Bristol it is envisaged that the management of the service would remain under the control of UBHT. Detailed costings of the scheme are outlined in Appendix F, which includes some provision for the construction of bus stops in the University precinct.

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6.3 Trains

Neither of the two main train operators that most University staff use to travel to work on, First Great Western and Wales and West, currently offer a reduction in the cost of a season train ticket if it is sold directly through an employer. The University is prepared to purchase season or annual train passes on behalf of staff members who can then repay the cost of the ticket with interest-free credit, deducted by the University in 12 monthly installments directly from the staff member's salary. It is envisaged that the free shuttle bus outlined above would serve Temple Meads, which would clearly benefit train users alighting there.

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6.4 Park and Ride

The University has investigated the possibility of the Park and Ride bus travelling into the University precinct. The £50k subsidy required for this extension was not deemed sensible for the University as so few staff use the service 15and there would not be a reduction in the price of tickets for University staff using the Long Aston service. Park & Ride Ltd. is not prepared to offer any special discount to University staff and because of the high price of tickets, it is unlikely that many University staff will use the service until car parking charges are higher than the current daily fare of £1.75.

The proposed free shuttle bus service would be able to pick staff up from outside Bentalls which is the first stopping point of the Park and Ride Bus from Long Ashton.

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6.5 Walking, cycling and motorcycling to work

The current provision of facilities for cyclists and walkers around the University precinct is fairly poor. If the University is to encourage these modes of transport, the quantity and quality of external cycle storage facilities and internal changing and locker facilities would need to be significantly improved. A figure of £40,000 for 1999/2000 and £30,000 per annum for the subsequent three years would enable all principal University buildings to have high quality cycle storage facilities as well as changing and washing facilities which both staff and students could utilise. It would also enable some investment in improving lighting and access routes for walkers within the precinct.

Bicycle parking would need to be sited in suitable locations and would provide secure parking for staff and students as well as uncovered visitor parking for students and short-stay users. The University would also need to construct washing and changing facilities for walkers and cyclists in principal University buildings. The University will need to work in partnership with Bristol City Council to increase the quality of pedestrian routes to the University by installing better lighting etc. 15% of existing car drivers who currently travel to work on their own, would consider cycling to work if better cycling and walking facilities were provided at the University. To further encourage the use of cycling the University will offer interest-free loans of up to £500 for staff wishing to purchase a new or second-hand bicycle for the purpose of commuting to work.12 or 24 monthly payments would be deducted directly from a member of staff's salary. This initiative will not be available for motorcyclists, because of the high cost of motorbikes.

To encourage short work related trips to be made by bicycle rather than car, the Working Group proposes the creation of a cycle mileage rate for staff. This would be claimed in a similar way to car mileage allowance, but would be payable only up to a certain distance, to ensure that staff do not cycle excessive distances in University time. Some Councils and hospitals pay their cyclists and car drivers the same mileage rate, which has incurred no difficulties with the Tax Office. The Working Group recommends a mileage allowance rate in line with the rate paid to Civil Servants (6.2 pence per mile). The mileage allowance could only be claimed up to a maximum of 4 miles for each half of any journey on University business.

Motorbikes do not fit neatly into the category of either car drivers or cyclists. There are currently over 100 motorcyclists at the University, whose needs are poorly catered for, with many motorbikes parked on car park perimeters. The Government White Paper notes that: Whether there are benefits for the environment and for congestion from motorcycling depends on the purpose of the journey, the size of motorcycle used and the type of transport that the rider has switched from. The Working Group wishes to support the use of motorcycles and proposes that more facilities should be provided for motorcycle parking. Unlike car drivers, motorcyclists would not be required to purchase an annual permit if they wish to park on site, although they would of course only be allowed to park in designated areas. The Working Group has recommended that a mileage allowance rate should be introduced for motorcyclists on University business. To encourage the use of motorbikes, it is recommended that the rate should be the same as for normal car drivers.

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7. Conclusion

There is no guarantee that the changes proposed in this document will, in the short term, completely resolve the parking difficulties at Bristol University. There may still be too many cars chasing too few spaces, but unlike the present situation the University will have been able to invest in initiatives which make it easier for staff to come to work, whilst also generating revenue for the University to invest in other important services. In the longer term, local and national changes in the transport legislation and operation will complement the changes proposed for the University of Bristol.

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