Travel and Transport

Travel and transport cost institutions money but much of the cost is not immediately evident. Mileage claims and vehicle fleet management are only the visible tip of the iceberg. Under the surface there are many hidden costs. For example, there are costs associated with staff time spent travelling for business and the surprisingly high average annual cost of providing car parking spaces meaning many institutions spend thousands of pounds on parking every year. In addition, there are the costs of travel delays and unreliability due to congestion.

If the impact on the balance sheet is worse than it first appears, the same is true of the impact on the environment. Transport is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions and cause of climate change, with commuter and business travel constituting nearly 40% of miles driven by car each year. Therefore, measures to reduce excessive vehicle use are vital for any university that seeks to achieve the aims of its Carbon Management Plan. 

If you would like to connect with other EAUC members interested in this area of sustainability, join the EAUC's Transport Community of Practice. This group is for EAUC members only. Find out more.

EAUC-Scotland's Travel and Transport Topic Support Network (TSN) is open to all, providing an opportunity for those working in or with the further and higher education sector to share ideas and questions and to get together to hear from particular speakers or discuss topics of interest. Find out more about the TSNs here.