The results of the four-yearly UC Travel Survey found travel choices are tracking in the right direction to achieve Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha University of Canterbury's transport goals and contribute to carbon emission reduction.
Of the more than 3,000 survey respondents, 14% were choosing the bus, an increase of 7% on the previous survey in 2020. Cycling also increased by 3%, with 21% choosing it as their preferred mode of travel. Driving a car still dominated at 37%, however there was a decrease of 8% from the previous results.
City and campus initiatives may have contributed to the positive changes, Kaihautū Matua Pūmanawa Tangata | Executive Director - People, Culture and Campus Life Paul O'Flaherty says.
"Our regional council Environment Canterbury offered a tertiary student Metrocard discount this year, and this may have encouraged more students to bus to campus. For cycling, UC offers cycling safety education, free secure e-bike charging, and free bike maintenance on campus, which, combined with the excellent cycleways network, might support more people to get on their bikes," he said.
The city's UniCycleway and Nor'West Arc Cycleway go through (or past) UC's Ilam and Dovedale campuses, while the central Arts Centre campus is well serviced by cycleways and cycle lanes. Ōtautahi is known as a cycling city - bike-friendly streets and more cycleways emerged as the second most-requested item in the city council's post-quake 'Share an Idea' campaign. Last year a Waka Kotahi study of the country's six largest cities found Ōtautahi had the highest level of cycling.
Wellbeing emerged as a theme connected to travel. In the recent survey, enjoying travel choices emerged more strongly as a motivation. Most respondents chose transport that was cheap or quick, however 9% of respondents chose "I enjoy the way I travel" as their motivation - up from 5%. Of these, the majority of 38% enjoyed cycling, closely followed by 31% who enjoyed walking, while 16% enjoyed driving, 9% enjoyed the bus and 2% enjoyed skating or scootering.
"We definitely encourage staff and students to consider lower carbon emission travel and support them to explore different options," O'Flaherty says.
The UC Cycle Plan includes targets across improving cycling infrastructure across UC campuses, encouraging cycling through engagement, and repositioning cycle parks to best effect. For more about UC's cycling services and facilities, see Cycling on the UC website.
UC's Sustainability Policy commits the University to weaving sustainability into the working culture and vision of the University, and to facilitating actions to address environmental, cultural, social and economic sustainability within the University.
