Business travel
There are many ways to reduce business travel and make your essential trips more environmentally friendly.
The hierarchy for assessing options for conducting remote activity
Before travel commitments are made using any mode of transport, colleagues are requested to assess a variety of other possible ways of working:
- Can the activity be conducted via online collaboration tools/software and equipment (e.g. videoconferencing) eliminating the need for travel?
- Can the activity be delegated to someone currently based or planning to be present in the remote location?
- Can the activity be postponed (where it is non-time critical) to enable it to be combined with other activity to reduce the number of trips? Any combined activity should be:
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- For the advancement of the University as part of its vision and strategy (e.g. training, development, partnerships)
- For the benefit of society (e.g. volunteering, local projects)
- For the professional and wellbeing benefits of the individual travelling (e.g. networking)
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Alternative modes of travel
If the above hierarchy has been conducted and travel is deemed necessary, it must be taken by the most cost-effective and least environmentally negative mode of travel.
Our order of preference for selection of the mode of travel is:
- Rail
- Coach or bus
- Ferry (where applicable)
- Taxi, private or hired car
- Air
Rail
Travelling by rail commonly has the least environmental impact. Where travel is deemed necessary, colleagues, students and managers are expected to choose rail travel where possible.
Taxi, private or hired car
Car journeys to local destinations are strongly discouraged. Where use of a car is required, hired vehicles, University-owned and car club vehicles must be considered in the first instance.
Air
Travelling by air commonly has the most significant environmental impacts, therefore should be avoided where possible.
- Where air travel is deemed essential to conduct the activity, non-stop flights or routes with the minimum number of connecting flights must be considered first.
- Air travel to mainland United Kingdom destinations can only be used in exceptional cases.
- Business and First Class travel have the most significant financial and environmental impact compared to other classes of travel.
- Business and First Class travel are not permitted for any journeys unless agreed in exceptional circumstances.
Travelling between campuses
Journeys between University sites and campus locations are to be completed by the following modes, in order of University preference:
- Walking, wheeling or running
- Bicycle
- Public transport
- Taxi or car
Walking, cycling and public transport must be considered in the first instance where opportunities and services exist. Car journeys between nearby sites and campus locations are strongly discouraged.
