University of Tasmania, Australia

What is a sustainable transport strategy?

A sustainable transport strategy guides investments and actions that deliver more socially, economically and environmentally sustainable transport outcomes and travel behaviours.

For more information, see page 4 of the UTAS Sustainable Transport Strategy (PDF 8.8MB).  

Why has UTAS developed a sustainable transport strategy?

There are a variety of reasons for the development of this strategy:

• UTAS’s growing commitment to improving sustainability outcomes
• Recognition of the need to continue to facilitate good and equitable levels of access to university educational services and facilities
• Acknowledgement of the need to reduce the vulnerability of the University and its community to the continuing rising cost of transport fuel
• Recognition of the growing interest and potential of the student and staff community to access campuses and facilities by active modes such as cycling and walking, and acknowledging the need for infrastructure to support this
• An increase in staff being located in and around the Hobart central business district (CBD), which increases the cost of parking and generates new kinds of city-based travel demand
• UTAS’s obligation to report its greenhouse gas emissions from a range of sources (including transport) and develop strategies to reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions over time
• Recognised need to manage risks and costs associated with supply chains impacted by the introduction of an economy-wide price on carbon and price hikes related to global oil-based transport fuel scarcity (e.g., Peak Oil)
• Recognised need to transition the University’s vehicle fleet away from oil-based transport fuels where feasible
• Limitations on the financial and physical capacity of the University to meet the demand for on-campus parking.

For more information, see page 5 of the UTAS Sustainable Transport Strategy (PDF 8.8MB).

What role does UTAS play in improving transport outcomes?

The University of Tasmania is a university of international standing and an organisation that aspires to achieve excellence in all its activities as well as leadership within its community. It is the only university in Tasmania and therefore plays an important role in the state’s cultural, social and economic development.

These perspectives on the University demonstrate that it is more than merely a significant state employer and education facility that generates trips that need to be managed. The University’s standing within the Tasmanian community at large and within immediate local communities provides it with the opportunity to demonstrate leadership in sustainable practice, including sustainable transport, via its own facilities and operations.

For more information, see page iv of the UTAS Sustainable Transport Strategy (PDF 8.8MB).

What has the strategy identified as the key objectives?

The UTAS Sustainable Transport Strategy aims to:

• Maximise access to the university by healthy and sustainable transport options.
• Reduce the incidence of single occupant vehicle use and unnecessary travel.
• Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from university transport sources.

These objectives will have actions tailored for each of the University’s regional campuses and facilities, since each area has different requirements.

For more information, see section 3.2 on page 69 of the UTAS Sustainable Transport Strategy (PDF 8.8MB).

Who was involved in developing this draft strategy?

The draft sustainable transport strategy was developed in consultation within the University community (staff and students) and agencies responsible for transport planning and delivery, such as city councils, State Government and bus service providers.

All UTAS facilities and locations were taken into consideration when this strategy was being developed.

A sustainable transport strategy project team consulted with internal and external stakeholders on specific issues and a sustainable transport consultant ensured that best-practice strategies and actions were included.

For more information, see page 2 of the UTAS Sustainable Transport Strategy (PDF 8.8MB).

What are the main issues and opportunities identified in the strategy?

The strategy identifies many issues and opportunities. One of the main ones relates to a lack of baseline information and the need for greater understanding of the University community’s travel practices, their travel needs and opportunities for adopting more sustainable practices. Examples of the key opportunities for each region include:

Opportunities for the south (Greater Hobart):

• extending and improving the bicycle network
• improving local pedestrian routes and way finding
• improving and promoting urban bus services in high demand corridors and promoting bus service connections to the Sandy Bay Campus and city facilities, supporting bus lanes, a CBD bus interchange, improved public transport information, allowing for bikes on buses and Wi-Fi initiatives
• exploring feasibility of and potentially advocating for a ferry loop service that links the eastern shore to the Hobart CBD and Sandy Bay
• promoting car pooling, especially for students or staff travelling long distances 

Opportunities for the north (Greater Launceston):

• promoting car pooling
• extending and improving the bicycle network
• improving local pedestrian routes and way finding
• improving Launceston city bus services and access to them to service student needs and exploring improved public transport information, allowing for bikes on buses and Wi-Fi initiatives

Opportunities for the north-west (Greater Burnie):

• promoting region-wide car-pooling opportunities
• improving public transport services into Burnie from Wynyard, Ulverstone and Devonport in line with peak class attendance times and exploring improved public transport information, allowing for bikes on buses and Wi-Fi initiatives
• improving connectivity to the Burnie Cradle Coast campus by local bus services
• enhancing services and facilities on campus (e.g. food outlets, ATM or post office service) to reduce incidence of day-time car use associated with personal business
• providing dedicated parking for scooters and motorcycles

These opportunities need to be supported by initiatives that raise awareness and provide incentives to encouraging sustainable transport practices or disincentives for single occupant vehicle use when alternative choices are available.

For more information, see section 2.4 on page 59 of the UTAS Sustainable Transport Strategy (PDF 8.8MB).

What are the strategic actions that have been identified?

We’re aiming to meet our key objectives through actions such as:

• Developing baseline measures and performance indicators for each of the University’s regional campuses and facilities
• Identifying priorities at each campus and developing an action plan for improving pedestrian and bicycle access
• Working with transport planners and bus service providers to enhance services to University facilities or transport infrastructure
• Coordinating with other initiatives to encourage travel behaviour and promote health and wellbeing
• Reducing student and staff travel inefficiencies by improving class timetables, and promoting e-learning and video conferencing facilities
• Encouraging students and staff members to consider sharing vehicles or consider non-car options for short trips through a range of incentives and disincentives
• Benchmarking our current greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and taking actions to reduce our emissions from our fleet, supply chains and collective university travel.

For more information see page 72 of the UTAS Sustainable Transport Strategy (PDF 8.8MB).

How will the strategy be delivered?

UTAS will implement a coordinated range of initiatives and collaborate with government agencies, transport providers, community groups and individuals. There have been many useful initiatives in the past that aimed to address parts of the sustainable transport puzzle; however they were ad hoc and not always coordinated.

We’ve already been through an information gathering and consultation phase, so our next steps will be to let people know what we are proposing, gather feedback to improve the proposed actions, establish some performance indicators and work to implement the priority actions recommended.

For more information see page 83 of the UTAS Sustainable Transport Strategy (PDF 8.8MB).

How will delivery and progress be monitored?

Monitoring through the use of key performance indicators, evaluation, reporting and improvement are important elements of the UTAS Sustainable Transport Strategy and its implementation. Where it has been identified that baseline information and indicators are lacking, the development of these has been identified as an important priority strategy. Establishing a monitoring framework and key performance indicators in the first year will help the institution and its stakeholders:

• be accountable
• earn about core sustainability problems and the effectiveness of actions
• ensure programs and investments achieve desired outcomes.

For more information see page 85 of the UTAS Sustainable Transport Strategy (PDF 8.8MB).