Supporting sustainable travel

The University encourages students and staff to consider the impact of their travel and use sustainable modes wherever possible.

Sustainable travel is one of the key action areas as part of our developing Sustainability Plan.

The travel to campus webpages detail all the ways of getting to the University including the range of sustainable transport options and supporting schemes available.

Active travel

Maps of facilities on campus and cycle routes around local communities are being refreshed and will be available soon.

Quick guide to Essential Cycling Skills (ECS).

The Quick guide to ECS, produced by Cycling Scotland, provides an overview of the skills required to cycle safely. It also includes information on the things to look out for when choosing and maintaining your bike.

The University works to promote active travel. We have worked on a range of projects funded via Cycling Scotland's Cycling Friendly Campus programme.

In early 2024, we received just over £14,000 towards:

  • supporting maintenance of the Brodie’s Bikes cycle share scheme for student residences
  • training classes for staff and students
  • infrastructure to improve the storage and security of bikes on campus

We hosted a Campus Cycling Officer throughout the 2023/24 academic year to deliver projects and to carry out a range of engagement activities on campus. This included challenges and promotion of planned cycling activities at events for international students and during Welcome Week.

The award from Cycling Scotland allowed us to install a new cycle parking stand at the Student Union in Paisley. It also provided new maintenance and repair tools for student and staff use from the Student Hub.

In Ayr, we opened a new enclosed shelter to protect the Brodie’s Bike fleet at student residences from the elements along with a maintenance and repair stand.

Recognition

UWS Paisley, Ayr and Lanarkshire campuses have all been successfully awarded Cycling Friendly status by Cycling Scotland between March and May 2024. The award recognises colleges and universities that are improving their campuses and making it easier and more accessible to cycle.

Partnerships

In addition to our partnership with Cycling Scotland, UWS partnered with two local sustainable transport campaigns: Not Far? Leave the Car in Renfrewshire and Think, Move, Breathe in South Lanarkshire. 

Both programmes allow staff and students to use the BetterPoints app to record journeys through active travel and public transport when travelling to and from campus, and around these local areas.

By recording journeys, users can earn points towards vouchers to spend in local participating retailers. These campaigns have been funded to continue into 2025.

Check out our work

Scroll to see the the University's work to promote active travel, including details of our recent project funded via Cycling Scotland's Cycling Friendly Campus programme. 

For support to help you travel actively, contact cycling@uws.ac.uk

Our maintenance classes

Servicing the Brodie’s Bikes fleet

Our maintenance class team

Cycle shelter at Ayr campus student residences

Ayr campus maintenance and repair stand

Promoting our campaign at an event

Location data to help us understand the journeys taken to Paisley campus

Last updated: 04/07/2024