Transport

Sustainable travel is embedded into the heart and culture of Oxford Brookes University. We are committed to reducing the impact of our transport activity, and actively encourage staff, students and visitors to travel by a low emission alternative.

In 2019, we completed our student and staff travel survey.

In September 2021, the University formed a new Travel Advisory Group (TAG). The purpose of the group is to inform and influence the development and implementation of a fully integrated ‘Sustainable Travel Strategy’. This strategy will contribute to the Oxford Brookes University 2035 Vision and underpin and enable the potential for an ‘Oxford Campus Vision’ to be realised.

TAG recently agreed to appoint transport consultants. They will support the University to understand student and staff travel behaviour and deliver the new travel survey. The findings of the survey are expected to be published in the summer 2022. These findings will inform a new sustainable transport strategy and plan as well as a car parking strategy.

Since 2009, BROOKESbus has moved nearly 22 million passengers – saving an estimated 1.5 million car journeys each year from Oxford’s roads. This equates to a saving of 1.4 million kg of CO2 which would have been emitted.

In 2019, nearly 40% of all BROOKESbus journeys in 2019 were made by community members, thus providing sustainable transport options for the wider community. A total of 2.17 million passengers were transported.

In 2018, the University purchased six new micro-hybrid buses that reduced fuel consumption by 18% and CO2 emissions by 34% (compared to a baseline low-emission bus). This was partly a result of the innovative Gyro Drive System. This technology was the first in the country to be installed on a commercial bus service and was developed by an Oxford Brookes Alumnus, working with Williams Formula 1.

The BROOKESbus vehicles were the first Euro 6 buses in Oxford and in turn exceeded the minimum standard for operation in the Oxford Low Emission Zone. In March 2022, Oxford Council was successful in securing funding for Zero Emission Buses; providing 159 electric buses. The BROOKESbus services forms part of this bid with a Council decision expected later this year to rectify the implementation.