Transport

Greening your Commute

The Regional Centre of Expertise in Greater Western Sydney has identified sustainable transports as a key challenge for the region. Transport, such as cars and trucks that burn petroleum, are a significant cause of air pollution and a major contributor to global warming – not to mention the associated traffic congestion.

Green Office Program - Transport

Being a multicampus university transport is an important issue. The UWS Green Office Program has been designed to green your office, reduce office waste and increase recycling. There are a number of ways you can help save on energy used during transport and green your trip to and from work:

  • Reduce single occupancy car trips – walk, cycle or catch public transport to and from work
  • Join the Western Sydney Carpool (opens in a new window) or carpool with a friend or college
  • Use the shuttle bus to move around campus rather than driving to your lecture or practical
  • Use our video conferencing facilities on campus to have a meeting
  • If you must drive to a meeting, try and organise multiple meeting on the same day – it is more time effective and reduces your travel

UWS Transport Initiatives

Technology Vs Travel

Green Week - MotherboardUWS is a multicampus university set in a rapidly expanding peri-urban area. This poses significant challenges for transport. In response the University is using IT-enabled learning to reduce students and their teachers travel to class (see vUWS).

UWS also operates a number of solutions that allow telecommuting and video communication in order to lower the carbon footprint of the University. These solutions have some overlap but broadly speaking they cover the followings areas:

In 2011 alone, videoconferencing saved 81,646 km in travel. UWS aims to incorporate sustainable practices in all of its activities and to reduce the carbon footprint generated by travel where possible. Find out more about using technology and Green Meeting Day at UWS.

For further details, please see the UWS IT services catalogue (opens in a new window) and Collaborative Teaching and meeting technologies (PDF, 1643.02 KB) (opens in a new window) at UWS. 

Bicycle Parking Facilities at UWS

New bicycle parking facilities were installed and trialed in the G precinct on Hawkesbury campus to provide students, staff and visitors of the campus with additional, standards-compliant bicycle parking facilities and encourage the use of bicycles as a sustainable mode of transport. Following positive feedback from bicycle riders on the Hawkesbury campus, this initiative is now being rolled-out across the other UWS campuses.

The new standard-compliant bicycle parking facilities are being installed in convenient, easily accessible and visible locations in which bikes are likely to be left (i.e. adjacent to the entrances/exits of high-use buildings). The facilities have been designed to support the entire bike frame, reducing the risk of damage to bikes, and can be used with any bike lock. They have also been designed to be aesthetically appealing whilst being highly visible.

The installation of bicycle parking facilities has also been included in the new student accommodation projects on the Bankstown, Hawkesbury and Penrith campuses.

UWS is continuing to update its cycling facilities on all campuses. Bike parking locations are marked on each of the campus maps. Further bike facilities are listed on the cycling at UWS web page.

UWS Transport Access Guides

These guides enable staff, students and visitors to travel to UWS campuses in a sustainable manner that includes walking, cycling and public transport. You can reduce your carbon footprint, improve your health and save time and money. For more information, please see Transport Access Guides.

Bike User Group (BUG)

UWS has established a Bicycle User Group for the Werrington Enterprise Living and Learning (WELL) Precinct working with Penrith City Council, UWS Penrith, Kingswood TAFE and local residents. Cycling events include Ride to Work Day (opens in a new window) and Commuter Challenge (opens in a new window).

Did you know that free cycling proficiency training is available through Austcycle (opens in a new window)? Take one today.

Western Sydney Carpool

The Western Sydney Carpool (opens in a new window) is a free, online service for anyone who wants to save money, meet new people and reduce their carbon footprint while travelling to work or study. The Western Sydney Carpool is so easy to use. It takes two minutes to join the network (opens in a new window) and then Western Sydney Carpool will search its database and match you with other people travelling in the same direction.

UWS Pool Cars

Staff can access UWS Pool cars. Why not search the system to locate other people who are travelling to the same destination. For more information, please see Vehicle Fleet Management System (opens in a new window).

UWS Connect Shuttle Bus

UWS Shuttle Bus moves around 17,000 passengers each week, travelling the equivalent of 23 times around Australia annually. This service provide transport our campus, as well as to and from the train station at some campuses. Check out the shuttle bus tracker webpage (opens in a new window).

Transport projects at other universities and colleges

If your section of UWS is addressing any of these areas or additional ones, please let us know by emailing us at sustainability@uws.edu.au