Deakin University Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus TravelSmart Survey Results 2011

Transcription

1 Deakin University Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus TravelSmart Survey Results 2011

2 Contents Contents... 3 Introduction... 4 Key findings from student and staff surveys... 4 Local considerations... 6 Deakin University Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus... 7 Location... 7 Map of the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus... 9 Student locality by postcode Travel survey - student and staff samples The current situation How staff and students travel Car ownership and efficiency University vehicle provision and staff inter-campus travel Frequency of aeroplane travel in the past year Bicycle ownership and use What factors support more sustainable travel? Suggestions to encourage more sustainable forms of travel Climate change - attitudes, values and priority issues What are some of the main transport priorities that the Department of Transport should address?.. 28 What are some of the main priorities that Deakin should address? What factors discourage more sustainable travel? University policies or rules that discourage sustainable travel options Where to from here? Recommendations and local considerations Appendix A Results from the Traffic Counts Appendix B Results from the Bike Counts

3 Introduction TravelSmart is a State Government program with the objective of motivating ongoing sustainable travel behaviour. TravelSmart aims to reduce people s dependency on cars and encourage them to choose sustainable travel alternatives such as cycling, walking and public transport. Smarter travel choices can be made by changing one or two trips per week, or by reducing the number of car journeys. Developing a travel plan for the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus, Deakin University is an important strategy to encourage more staff and students to make sustainable travel choices that contribute to improved health as well as environmental benefits. An effective travel plan at the Campus presents an opportunity to lead by example, and influence the travel behaviours of other people in Geelong. All on-campus students and staff on the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus were invited to participate in an on-line survey between Monday 25 July and Friday 12 August, A total of 38 questions that were designed to measure current travel behaviours of staff and students were included in the survey. A total of 1002 students (19.3% response rate) and 480 staff (18.4% response rate) responded to the 2011 travel survey on the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus. Responses were collated into excel and analysed using SPSS. Key findings from student and staff surveys Around 38.5 percent of students and 65.1 percent of staff reported travelling to and from the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus as the sole occupant of a car. Almost 93 percent of staff and 85 percent of students own a car. Small groups of less than 10 percent of students used other more sustainable modes of travel (walk, carpool, bus, train or motorbike). The number of staff and students reporting travel by bus, train or motorbike were less than 1 percent. Very few students or staff cycled to the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus (1.4 and 2.4 percent respectively) even though almost half of students (49.7 percent) and 64.2 percent of staff owned a bike. Approximately 37 percent of the Campus staff reported that they had access to a vehicle for workrelated trips during the day. Around 3 percent reported having unrestricted use of a University car and 60 percent of the staff did not have access to a car during the day. 4

4 Around 10.7 percent of staff travel between the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus and the Melbourne Burwood Campus at least once a week. The most common mode of travel between Campuses was to drive in a Deakin University car; 17 percent of the staff drove alone in a Deakin University car, 48 percent carpooled with colleagues and 19 percent drove in a private car. The main reasons why the students and staff who walk or cycle to and from the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus choose to do so are related to convenience and cost savings. Values in relation to environmental sustainability, health and lifestyle were reasons given by a smaller number of people. The reasons given by the students and staff for travelling by bus were related to not having an alternative, the low cost relative to driving a car and being within close proximity to the Uni via bus. Reasons for students and staff travelling by train were cited as the absence of an alternative, and the low cost as well as having the opportunity to work on the train. Around 47.1 percent of students and 28.7 percent of staff would consider carpooling, and 33.2 percent of students and 28.3 percent of staff would consider travelling by bus. More students than staff would consider travelling by train (22.5 percent compared with 14 percent) and more staff than students would be willing to consider cycling (14.9 percent compared with 16.8 percent). Around 16.3 percent of students and 9.6 percent of staff would consider walking to the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus. Approximately 80 percent of Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus students and staff reported that an increased frequency of bus service and having extra bus services were high to very high priorities. Approximately 60 of students and over 80 percent of staff regarded improved efficiency of the university fleet and marketing vehicles as high priorities. Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus students and staff were asked to suggest changes that would encourage more sustainable forms of travel. The most common responses related to improving public transport services to the campus, improved facilities for cyclists at the campus and providing carpooling support. Convenience was the major reason why students and staff travel to university as a sole occupant in a car. Inadequate train and bus services were also mentioned as reasons for travelling by car. Domestic flights were taken by over 45 percent of students and 22 percent of staff in the past twelve months. Between percent of students and percent of staff took short international or long international flights. Very few reported taking more than 1-2 of each type of trip. Half the staff reported that being able to voluntarily off-set carbon produced by air travel as a medium priority. 5

5 Key recommendations A review of public transport services is recommended. This would include the frequency and timing of the V/Line trains from Melbourne and Warrnambool, V/Line Coaches from areas such as Ballarat and the Great Ocean Road and the related bus connections to the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus. Patronage of other local bus services particularly the one linking the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus and the Geelong Waterfront Campus should be reviewed and options to improve the service investigated. The feasibility of car pooling car parks with allocated carpooling car parks that are free or discounted for those who carpool. Improving on-campus facilities for those cycling to and from the campus should be given priority as this was a popular suggestion put forward by both groups to encourage more sustainable travel. Deakin University could provide leadership in Geelong by purchasing more energy efficient University and marketing fleet cars. Local considerations The recent opening of the Ring Road that bypasses Geelong has decreased the time taken to travel by car between Melbourne and the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus. As a result, public transport needs to be more time and cost efficient compared with travel by car to attract drivers to travel by train or bus. 6

6 Deakin University Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus Location Deakin's Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus is located on the western edge of Geelong, 72 kilometres south west of Melbourne. Geelong is Victoria's largest regional centre with a population of more than 200,000 people. Recent completion of the Geelong Ring Road has reduced travel time between Melbourne and Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus. Driving from the Melbourne CBD to the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus has been reduced from 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour. Figure 1 Location of Deakin University Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus 7

7 V/Line trains operate regularly between Southern Cross Station in Melbourne and Warrnambool, stopping at Geelong. The Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus is a 10 minute trip by car or bus from the Geelong station. The number 18 Deakin Direct bus service* runs from the Geelong station to the Campus. * Note that this is a limited stop service operating Monday to Friday during University teaching periods only. The number 16 Deakin University/Grovedale bus service runs half-hourly via suburban areas, between Geelong city (Little Malop Street) and the Campus. V/Line coaches run from many regional centres, including the Great Ocean Road and Ballarat, to the Geelong city and Geelong station. The Campus features expansive landscaped grounds and extensive sporting facilities. It is the secondlargest Campus of the University, with more than 5000 students. Services and facilities include lecture theatres, library, computer laboratories, health care services, a dining room, gymnasium, sports hall, shops and a bank. Areas of study offered at this Campus include: Arts, Business, Management, Communications and Media, Engineering, Medicine, Health and Community Services, Information Technology, Law, Science and Teaching. On-campus accommodation is provided for 447 students in a mixed gender and multicultural environment. 8

8 Map of the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus Figure 2: Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus Map 9

9 Student locality by postcode The student locality data map is arranged by postcode and lists the number of students that reside within. The darker the colour the greater the number of students who live within the postcode.

10 Travel survey - student and staff samples In July 2011, staff and students at Deakin University s Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus were invited to complete an online survey related to travel behaviour (see Tables 1 and 2 for characteristics of the two samples). Table 1 Characteristics of student sample Table 2 Characteristics of staff sample n=1002 % n=480 % Gender Male Female Gender Male Female Age (years) Age (years) Enrolment characteristics On campus Off campus Employment type Academic General Domestic International Full time Part time Undergraduate Postgraduate Employment time fraction Full time Part time Casual Vehicle ownership Car Bike First year Second year Third year Fourth year Fifth year Deakin car parking permit Vehicle ownership Car Bike Deakin car parking permit Public transport concession card

11 The current situation How staff and students travel Figure 3: Student and staff mode of transport 2011 The data in figure 3 demonstrates that over two-thirds of staff (65.1%) and over a third (38.5%) of students travelled to and from the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus as the sole occupant of a car. Around 2 percent of staff and around 10 percent of students reported walking to and from the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus. Between 7-8 percent in both groups reported carpooling to and from the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus. Around 2.7 percent of students and 1.4 percent of staff reported cycling to the Campus. Around 2.7 percent of students and 3 percent of staff reported using the bus, while 5 percent of students and 1.4 percent of staff reported using the train. On average, approximately 27 percent of the students and 13 percent of staff did not attend University on any given day. Figure 4: Has staff travel behaviour changed?

12 The data in figure 4 indicated that travel in a single occupant increased in 2010 and dropped back to 2009 figures in Carpooling has decreased during this time, however, travel by bus and train has increased. Figure 5: Has student travel behaviour changed? The data in figure 5 indicated that travel in a single occupant motor vehicle has decreased since Walking and cycling have remained relatively stable, while carpooling, travel by bus and train has decreased. Car ownership and efficiency The 2011 travel survey measured the number of staff and students who own a car, the age and fuel type. These measures were undertaken to gauge the emissions produced by staff and students. Figure 6: Car ownership rates

13 The data in figure 6 illustrates that the rate of car ownership among students and staff at the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus is high with over 85 percent of students and 93 percent of staff owning a car. Figure 7: Age of car The data in figure 7 indicates that a greater percentage of staff in this sample own a car less than 5 years old (32.9%), while student rates vary across the age group. Figure 8: Car type The data in figure 8 indicates that the majority of staff and students own a 4-cylinder vehicle (60.8% and 55.7% respectively). A smaller percentage of staff and students own a 6-cylinder vehicle while few own an 8-cyclnder vehicle or 4WD/SUV. A very small proportion of students and no staff own a hybrid vehicle in this sample.

14 Figure 9: Fuel type The data in figure 9 indicates that the majority of cars owned by staff and students are fuelled by unleaded petrol only a small percentage of cars are fuelled by LPG or Diesel. Figure 10: Student and staff awareness of the impact vehicle emissions have on the environment The following question asked staff and students to rate whether they knew of the impact that vehicle emissions have on the environment. The data in figure 10 indicate that a high proportion of staff and students are aware of the impacts (77% students and 73.1% staff). These results suggest

15 that level of awareness is high, however, awareness does not necessarily create change to more sustainable behaviour. As outlined in table 5 students and staff are discouraged to use more active transport modes such as public transport due to a lack of services, overcrowding and infrequency. The results indicate that to increase the number of people using more sustainable transport modes requires supporting infrastructure not just awareness raising. Further analyses were then undertaken to determine the approximate amount of greenhouse emissions that these cars emit on an annual basis, the number of black balloons equivalent and the number of trees required to offset these vehicles over a period of 12 months. Table 3: Greenhouse gas emissions according to vehicle type over a 12 month period Vehicle Type Number of Cars Greenhouse emissions (tonnes) No. of black balloons** Number of Trees required to offset*** 4-cylinder unleaded petrol 800 3, ,881,800,000 12,248 4-cylinder LPG 4-cylinder diesel ,100, ,800, cylinder unleaded petrol ,221,200,000 4,557 6-cylinder LPG 6-cylinder diesel ,900,000 1, ,200, cylinder unleaded petrol ,300, cylinder diesel 8-cylinder LPG 4WD/SUV petrol 4WD/SUV LPG 4WD/SUV diesel Hybrid ,300, ,800, ,500, ,300, ,500, Total , ,919,700,000 19,859

16 *the data in table 3 is based on the EPA s car eco meter. It assumes that the vehicle is of post-1997 age, automatic transmission with an annual driving distance of 15,000km. Note that 4-cylinder vehicles were considered small, 6-cylinder vehicles medium, 8-cylinder vehicles large and 4WD/SUV vehicles medium 4WD. Emissions of vehicle type other were calculated using Greenfleets web tool Australian Tree Totaller. The number of greenhouse emissions are therefore an estimate in this calculation. **1 black balloon is equivalent to 50 grams of greenhouse gas, based on the State Governments program ***the total number of trees required to offset each car over a 12 month period was calculated using Greenfleets web tool Australian Tree Totaller The data in table 3 indicate that from the number of cars owned by staff and students in this sample together they produce approximately 5,856 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, this equates to over 5 billion black balloons. To offset these emissions over 19,000 trees would need to be planted.

17 University vehicle provision and staff inter-campus travel Deakin University provides cars for staff to conduct University business. Some staff have vehicles assigned to them and have unrestricted use; others have access to department vehicles or central pool vehicles. Central pool vehicles are located on all Campuses. Figure 11: Staff vehicle provisions Approximately 37 percent of staff on the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus reported having access to a vehicle for work-related trips during the day. Approximately 3 percent reported having unrestricted use of a University car and 60 percent of staff did not have access to a car during the day. Figure 12: Mode of transport for inter-campus trips

18 The data in figure 12 indicates that the most common mode of travel by was carpooling with a colleague in a Deakin University vehicle (48%). Driving alone in a Deakin University car (17 percent) and driving in a private car (19 percent) followed closely behind. Around 4 percent of staff reported travelling by bus or train. Figure 13: Frequency of inter-campus travel Around 7.5 percent of staff travel between the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus and Melbourne Campus at Burwood once a week. Monthly travel patterns indicated approximately 10.9 percent travel between the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus and the Melbourne Campus at Burwood, while around 4.8 percent reported travelling between the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus and Warrnambool Campus. The majority of staff travel occasionally, with around 48 percent travelling between the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus and the Melbourne Campus at Burwood and 35.2 percent travelling between the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus and the Warrnambool Campus. Frequency of aeroplane travel in the past year Staff and students at the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus were asked to report on the frequency of air travel, both domestic and international during the past 12 months. Figure 14: Staff flights over a 12 month period

19 Figure 14 demonstrates that the majority of flights reported by staff were domestic trips at 22.1 percent. The majority of staff, however, did not fly at all over the past 12 months. Figure 15: Student flights over a 12 month period The data in figure 15 indicates that the majority of slights reported by students were either domestic trips (45.8%) or long international flights (48.3%). Table 4: Greenhouse Gas emissions according to flight type and number Flight Type Number of Flights Greenhouse emissions (tonnes)* No. of black balloons** Number of Trees required to offset***

20 Domestic ,266,800 1,155 International (Short) ,600 1,660 International (Long) ,402,200 3,247 Total 2, , ,562,600 6,062 *for air travel calculation, the total warming impact has been used using Greenfleets calculator. This includes the indirect effects of releasing greenhouse gases high into the atmosphere, where they have a greater impact than they would if released at ground level. **1 black balloon is equivalent to 50 grams of greenhouse gas, based on the State Governments program ***the total number of trees required to offset each car was calculated using Greenfleets web tool Australian Tree Totaller The data in table 4 indicates that from the total number of flights undertaken by staff and students in this sample over a 12 month period approximately 2,717 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions were produced, this equates to over 31 million black balloons. To offset these emissions over 6,000 trees would need to be planted.

21 Bicycle ownership and use Figure 16: Bicycle ownership The data in figure 16 indicate 49.7 percent of student and 64.1 percent of staff own a bicycle. Figure 17: Cycling patterns The majority of staff (71 percent) and students (77 percent) belonged to the category owning a bike but not riding to the university. Fewer students own a bike and use it regularly compared with staff (19.2 percent and 26.4 percent respectively) and this difference is more evident among those who ride to the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus (students 6.7 percent and staff 11.7 percent).

22 Students and staff were asked to rate on a scale where 1 = not at all and 5= a great deal whether the following factors discouraged people from cycling or walking to uni. Road traffic Road lane safety Storage facilities Weather Washroom facilities Time Confidence The response to a great deal were collated into the graph below. Figure 18: Barriers to cycling The data in figure 18 indicates that time is a barrier for staff when it comes to cycling to Deakin. A lack of storage/washroom facilities are a barrier for both staff and students, and road traffic, including a lack of on/off road lanes are also another barrier.

23 What factors support more sustainable travel? What are common factors that influence the decisions for staff/students who don t drive to or from the site? The main reasons why students and staff who walk or cycle to and from the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus choose to do so are related to: convenience and cost savings as well as their values in relation to environmental sustainability, health and lifestyle. Examples of reasons given for walking or cycling included: I only live a 15 minute so it s easy most days (Student) It is beneficial to my health; it is beneficial for the environment (Student) Cost of parking at Deakin; Live in close proximity to Deakin Waurn Ponds Campus (Student) Distance, convenience, cost (Staff) Health, price, environment, ease of access (Staff) Not very far, save energy, save money, good for health (Staff) The reasons given by staff and students for travelling by bus were related to not having an alternative, the low cost relative to driving a car and living within close proximity to public transport. I don't have a car at present (Staff) Can read/work while travelling; Less expensive than driving/parking (Staff) Just shifted houses and the bus stop is just around the corner. To be closer to public transport was part of reason for shifting. Only live 4-5km from work (Staff) Cheap, no petrol/parking costs; Run often from my location; easy to access; don t have to worry about car in car park (Student) Don t drive; inexpensive (Student) It's easy to get the bus (number 16) from my house in Belmont to Waurn Ponds Campus (Student) The reasons given for travelling by train were also related to not having an alternative, the low cost as well as having the opportunity to work on the train. Some examples given by students (no staff reported using this mode of travel) include: Fastest way to get to University; quite far to travel by own car; cheaper; safer (Student) Economic; reduce carbon consumption; no other choice (Student) Distance: Most convenient travelling method from Werribee area to Waurn Ponds (Student)

24 Living far from campus; more economical than driving (Staff) I travel to both Waurn Ponds and Burwood so public transport is a convenient way to travel (Staff) [It s] an ecofriendly way of travel; I am away from the traffic jams and all (Staff) Suggestions to encourage more sustainable forms of travel Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus students and staff were asked whether they were willing to consider other forms of transport that was more sustainable. They were then asked to provide suggestions that they believe would encourage staff and students to travel to Deakin by public transport, walking, cycling or carpooling. Figure 19: Willingness to consider various modes of travel to the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus The data in figure 19 indicates that the majority of staff and students would continue to drive to Deakin (82.4% students and 83.5% staff). More students than staff would consider carpooling (47.1% and 28.7% respectively. Staff and students would consider taking more sustainable modes of transport (public transport, walking or cycling), but only if improvements were made. The most common responses related to improving public transport services to the Campus and providing carpooling support. Examples of comments include: More frequent and direct bus services from central Geelong (Staff) A reliable cost effective public transport system that is readily available and easily accessible to the central area on campus (Staff)

25 Encourage use of car-pooling e.g. free parks at campus such as the scheme at Monash. Better paths and lighting for safety for bikes and walking inside and outside campus. More frequent bus service, possibly one along the ring road (Staff) Lockers and showering facilities of cyclists; secure bicycle storage areas (Staff) More frequent, accessible and cheaper buses to and from each campus, leaving from popular places within Geelong, e.g. Belmont, Waurn Ponds Shopping centre, Grovedale, etc (Student) Dedicated bike paths/tracks especially along highways (Waurn Ponds campus) so you do not have to contend with car traffic and trucks. Possibly offer bikes/bike equipment for hire (Student) Designating certain parking spots for people who have car-pooled (have more than one person in the car) as an incentive. Provide more regular and direct bus routes to Deakin Waurn Ponds from the city, the Surfcoast and the Bellarine Peninsula (Student) More transport services e.g. more express services from train stations, more services at night/early in the morning, more regular services (Student) Are there any car-pooling arrangements already operating at the site? In March 2010, the Office of Environment funded the trial of a carpooling service on all four Campuses at Deakin University. This trial will run for 2 years and is in response to previous surveys which indicated that students and staff would like a carpool matching service at Deakin. The following section reports on the number of staff and students currently registered to the carpool matching service and to ascertain barriers and facilitators for carpooling. Figure 20: Number of staff and students registered to the on-line carpooling site

26 The 2011 survey asked existing carpool registrants to explain why they decided to register to the carpooling program and whether they have found someone to carpool with on a regular basis to the University. Staff and students gave a number of reasons to why they decided to carpool, the most common include, to save costs, meet new people and reduce own impact on the environment. Comments include. Because it is a good idea and would save everyone on petrol and parking permits (Student) Might be a bit better than just trying to drive by myself (I car pooled in first year) - also saves on fuel, and helps the environment out (Student) To help out the environment, other staff and students (Staff) To save money (Staff) From the number of registered car pooler s only some people have been able to find a match and have started carpooling to Campus. This may be explained by the relatively low number of staff and students who are registered to the program, making a likely match difficult. The survey also asked participants who have not signed up to the carpooling program why they haven t registered to the program. Common themes include. Feeling uncomfortable sharing a car with someone they don t know Believing arrival and departure times would not align with others Wanting flexibility when to leave the university, work/family reasons Not being aware of the program s existence Timing is not convenient for me as I usually have to get to work straight after I leave Deakin or am coming to Deakin straight from work (Student) Do not feel comfortable travelling with people I do not know as well as being only on my red p's I can t take more than one person (Student) It is often inconvenient as people come and go at different time, often people (myself included) have appointments before or after work which make carpooling not possible (Staff) Didn't realise there was a carpooling program implemented (Staff) Some opportunities to overcome the barriers listed above were provided by staff and students. The most common themes include. Organising free lunches/afternoon tea s where staff and students could meet each other on mutual grounds and get to know each other Providing incentives with car companies for discounts, i.e. servicing, petrol, tyres Free or discounted carpooling car parks for those that carpool Regular advertising and reminders

27 Climate change - attitudes, values and priority issues Changing travel behaviour among large groups of people to more sustainable modes is challenging because it is very convenient to drive alone and alternative modes of transport often require planning and effort. However, when confronted with the facts about environmental degradation and climate change some people take a critical look at their lifestyles and seek to make changes to their travel behaviour. The Deakin travel survey included a question on the personal importance given to the issue of climate change by staff and students. Figure 21: Importance of climate change to staff and students The data in figure 21 indicates that most staff and students feel that climate change are somewhat to very important. Very few staff and students believe that climate change is on little or no importance. What are some of the main transport priorities that the Department of Transport should address? This year s travel survey included a question around transport priorities for the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus that the Department of Transport should address. Five issues were presented and staff and students were asked to rank whether they were of a low, medium, high or very high priority. These included: 1. Victorian transport concession cards extended for international students 2. Victorian transport concession cards extended for all tertiary domestic students, e.g. TAFE 3. Increased frequency of public bus services to Deakin University 4. Extra public bus services to Deakin University 5. Increased number of shelter areas at bus and tram stops for hot and/or rainy days

28 Table 5: Student responses Priority Level Low Med High VHigh VPT concession card for international students VPT concession cards for all tertiary domestic students Increased frequency of public buses to Campus Extra public bus services to Campus Increased number of shelter areas 22.4% 5.8% 2.5% 3.9% 17% 31.6% 19.2% 8.3% 13.8% 31% 27.6% 33.5% 26.1% 24.7% 25% 17.5% 40.5% 62.6% 56.4% 26% A significant portion of students reported that an increased frequency of public bus services (62.6%), extra public bus services (56.4%) and Victorian Public Transport concession cards extended for all tertiary domestic students (40.5%) were high to very high priorities. Table 6: Staff responses Priority Level Low Med High VHigh VPT concession card for international students VPT concession cards for all tertiary domestic students Increased frequency of public buses to Campus Extra public bus services to Campus Increased number of shelter areas 13% 8% 1% 1% 13% 30% 24% 6% 8% 25% 32% 40% 25% 25% 28% 23% 26% 66% 66% 34% Over two thirds of staff reported that having increased bus frequency to Campus (66%), extra public bus services (66%) and Victorian Public Transport concession cards extended for all tertiary domestic students (40%) were high to very high priorities. What are some of the main priorities that Deakin should address? This year s travel survey included a question around transport priorities for the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus. Seven issues were presented and staff and students were asked to rank whether they were of a low, medium, high or very high priority. These included: 1. Designated and free carpooling car parks for students and staff 2. Designated and discounted carpooling car parks for students and staff 3. A travel policy which encourages staff and students to take public transport or video conference between Campuses, i.e. Burwood and Geelong

29 4. All flights undertaken by staff for work purposes to be off-set through a voluntary scheme such as climate positive 5. Subsidised or discounted Metcards for staff 6. Deakin University fleet vehicles that are energy efficient, i.e. hybrid (Toyota Prius), diesel (Hyundai 130) 7. Deakin University Marketing vehicles that are energy efficient, i.e. hybrid (Toyota Prius), diesel (Hyundai 130) 8. Parking restrictions for those who live within a 5-10 minute walk to the university Table 7: Student responses Low Med High Priority Level VHigh Free car pooling car parks for staff and students Discounted carpooling car parks Travel policy for public transport or video conferencing University fleet vehicles that are energy efficient Parking restrictions 6.1% 6.3% 19.8% 30.7% 31.4% 19.3% 23.7% 37% 33.1% 21.3% 30% 35.5% 26.7% 22% 23.4% 43.9% 33.7% 15.7% 12.5% 23.5% Free carpooling car parks for students was the top priority among students (43.9%). Discounted carpooling car parks were the second highest priority at 35.5 percent. Table 8: Staff responses Priority Level Free car pooling car parks for staff and students Discounted carpooling car parks for staff and students Travel policy encouraging use of public transport or video conferencing between campuses Flights undertaken by staff for work to be off-set through voluntary scheme Subsidised or discounted met cards for staff University fleet vehicles that are energy efficient University marketing vehicles that are energy efficient Parking restrictions for those living within5-10 minutes walk from campus Low Med High VHigh 13% 10% 14% 30% 17% 13% 14% 32% 25% 26% 29% 36% 27% 23% 24% 25% 28% 33% 36% 23% 32% 33% 31% 19% 34% 30% 20% 10% 23% 30% 29% 23%

30 For staff (34%) the most important priority was free carpooling car parks for staff and students. The next three most important issues for staff were discounted carpooling car parks for staff and students, a travel policy encouraging the use of public transport of video conferencing between Campuses (36%), and University fleet vehicles that are energy efficient (33%). What existing facilities in the local area support staff and students, who walk, cycle, catch a bus or public transport? The bike tracks along the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus Creek and from the suburb of Highton make it possible to cycle to the Campus on designated tracks. The Marshall Railway Station is located approximately five kilometres from the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus. Trains from Melbourne and Warrnambool stop at this station and a connecting bus to the Campus would prove to be convenient for students and staff living in these areas. There are 5 buses that connect with the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus, these are 14, 16, 18, 19 and 20. Bus service number 18 runs direct from Geelong Station to the campus, while bus service number 16 bus service runs half hourly via suburban areas and the CBD to the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus. The introduction of an intercampus bus between Waterfront and Waurn Ponds has also helped to alleviate some of the pressure off the number 18 bus and provides a direct connection between the two campuses. V/Line coaches connect Geelong CBD to regional centres such as Ballarat and towns along the Great Ocean Road such as Lorne and Apollo Bay. Students and staff can then connect with the number 18 to get to Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus. What factors discourage more sustainable travel? What were the most common reasons given by staff/students for driving? Convenience is a major reason why students and staff travel to university as a sole occupant in a car. Inadequate train and bus services were also mentioned as reasons for travelling by car. Also, many students and staff do not walk to university because the distance they need to travel is too great. It's the fastest means of transport to work; it gives me flexibility. I can start earlier or finish later, without affecting other people; the bus system takes more than double the time, and is much less flexible (Staff) Drop off 5 children (2 of my own and 3 friends) at school on way to work so don't have capacity to carpool; having own vehicle allows for flexibility if need to attend appointments before, during or after work (Staff) No direct public transport, It would double my travel time to use public transport; I work on multiple campuses, (often use my own car) (Staff) It would take me nearly two and half hours to reach to work if i take the public transport instead of 50 mins when I drive (Staff)

31 I would have to get 2 buses and that has taken me 90 minutes in the past to get to uni (Student) Public transport to the Waurn Ponds campus is fairly limited; Buses take at least twice as long to get to Waurn Ponds than driving, for example the bus takes an hour to get from the Geelong CBD to Waurn Ponds (Student) I live 70km away from the University so it s the quickest form of transport (Student) Often I go to uni after I work at my job or I ll be heading from uni to my job, so I need my car to 1) get home from work and 2) get straight to and from uni/work in the least amount of time (Student) Do the most common factors given for why staff and students drive, agree with what you know about the current situation? The common factors for driving a car to the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus do appear to be substantiated. Road access and parking availability are not barriers, the opening of the Ring Road to bypass Geelong makes driving from the north and east even more convenient. Several survey respondents mentioned the poor connections and long waiting times for train and bus travel, and this discourages people from using more sustainable alternatives. Some staff are required to travel between the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus and Warrnambool campuses and the train would seem to be an ideal mode because there are railway stations located close to both campuses. The timing and frequency, however, of this daily service limit this choice. Do university campus facilities discourage staff and students from walking, cycling, or catching public transport? Inadequate end of trip facilities for cyclists are barriers to more students and staff cycling to the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus. Construction of a secure area to lock bikes and improved washroom facilities have been suggested by those who currently cycle to the Campus as well as those who indicated a willingness to consider this mode of travel. University policies or rules that discourage sustainable travel options Deakin University Permits: Presently staff can obtain parking permits through a salary sacrifice at the University. These permits cost $ per year for a blue zone, however, they are offered at a reduced price through salary sacrifice at $183 per year for a blue zone. In 2012 there will be a significant increase in the cost of parking permits with the aim to bring permits on par with public transport fares and in line with parking permits currently being sold at other Universities. Table 11 demonstrates the relative cost of parking permits between Universities.

32 Table 9: Parking Permit Costs across Universities in Victoria 2011 University Deakin University Melbourne University Monash University La Trobe University Swinburne University Parking Permit Cost $203 blue annual $1130 annual staff only, $7 flat rate for students per day $175-$350 blue permit $230 student annual white $768 per annum (staff only) eastern campuses, $6.50 flat rate for students per day Figure 22: Deakin University parking permits The data in figure 22 indicates that more staff than students have a Deakin parking permit where 76.5 percent of staff compared to 42.4 percent of students. Salary Sacrifice: The University provides salary packaging for motor vehicles, including novated leases. On a novated lease staff members don t need to spend any capital upfront or make a deposit, they can also choose any car they like. All running costs are incorporated into the annual salary sacrifice (fuel, repairs, maintenance, registration, tyres, insurance) and staff members can have the use of the vehicle without having to budget for the repayments. Interest rates are also fixed over the life of the loan. This arrangement leaves it open for staff to choose large, energy consumptive vehicles and encourages staff members to update their car to a new one every three to four years. The Green Vehicle Guide Information and link attached to the Salary Packaging Website which provides advice for staff on selecting a more efficient vehicle. It has also been noted that the University does not provide any incentives such as subsidised Metcards or bicycles for staff, yet staff are able to salary sacrifice or package laptops, etc.

33 Where to from here? This report has been prepared for use in the development of strategies to promote more sustainable travel choices. It will conclude with a series of recommendations and local considerations. Recommendations and local considerations Improving public transport to Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus appears to have broad support. Increasing the frequency of trains and buses, improving connections between trains and buses and extra services timed to arrive and depart in synch with classes and business hours were the most common suggestions given by staff and students to increase the number of people using more sustainable modes of transport. The Ring Road has reduced the time taken to drive from Melbourne and other areas to the north and east of Geelong to the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus. As a result, public transport services need to be more time and cost efficient to be viable options for students and staff. Several students and staff have commented on the benefits of train travel from Melbourne because it provides time to work or relax. A review of public transport services is recommended. This would include V/Line trains from Melbourne and Warrnambool as well as the bus connections; V/Line Coaches from Ballarat and the Great Ocean Road as well as local buses. The bus service connecting Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus to the Geelong Railway station does not appear to be well patronised by staff and yet 10.7 percent of staff travel between Campuses at least once a week. Many use their private car for the convenience it provides. Some students use the bus service because parking at the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus is limited and they travel by V/Line train. By improving the frequency, route and timing of this service, patronage could be improved. Many students and staff would consider carpooling and therefore it is recommended that support for carpooling to and from the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus is investigated. The provision of parking discounts for those who car pool needs to be determined and carpooling car parks investigated. Around 16.3 percent of students and 9.6 percent of staff stated that they would consider walking to the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus, while 16.8 percent of staff and 14.9 percent of students would consider cycling. Distance is a barrier to walking and cycling, particularly for many students, however, improving bicycle and pedestrian access to the campus and end of trip facilities close to lecture theatres and classrooms would increase the number of staff and students cycling to the Campus. Around two or thirds of staff and students regarded improved efficiency of the University fleet and marketing vehicles as high to very high priorities. Leading by example is an important strategy for a University Campus that is TravelSmart. Many students and staff have reported that the issue of climate change is of somewhat very or extreme importance to them. The time is right to develop a campus specific travel plan to promote greater awareness of ways to make more sustainable travel choices and remove some of the barriers and disincentives to making these choices.

34 Appendix A Results from the Traffic Counts A car counter was placed over a 1 week period between Monday 26 September to Sunday 2 October to obtain a snapshot of car movements in and out of the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus and whether there were any changes in number of car movements. The results are as follows: Entrance 1: Pigdons Road An average of 3896 car movements were recorded each day in and out of Entrance 1 on Pigdons Road. Entrance 2: Pigdons Road

35 A total of 3639 car movements were recorded each day in and out of Entrance 2 on Pigdons Road. Entrance 3: Jarvis Road A total of 33 car movements were recorded each day in and out of Entrance 3 on Jarvis Road.

36 Appendix B Results from the Bike Counts Bike Count Data: Monday 26 September Friday 30 September Weather during bike counts Weather Monday 26 September Mild and overcast Tuesday 27 September Sunny and mild Wednesday 28 September Thursday 29 September Friday 30 September Thunderstorms Showers Mild and overcast