The University recently completed its first green travel plan and is currently introducing the committee set-up to oversee the adoption and implementation of the plan’s measures.

The plan aims to investigate the possibility of private group transport and car sharing

Led by director of Institute for Sustainable Development and transport geographer Maria Attard, committee members include the director of estates and works, Christopher Spiteri, and representatives of the academic, administrative, support staff and student bodies.

The committee’s aims include securing a leading position for the University to raise awareness, encourage and implement sustainable mobility measures and starting a process of change and encourage people to consider alternative modes to try to reduce both their need to travel as well as their use of the private car.

The plan’s findings show that car dependence is affecting the accessibility of the University campus due to increased traffic congestion on the existing road network, high parking expectations within the limited campus area and the under-utilisation of public transport and other transport infrastructures that could be used to access University.

The plan looks at using soft measures to raise awareness of other available modes of transportation, such as public transport. It also aims to investigate the possibility of private group transport and car sharing. The committee is confident the document could constitute the beginning of a change in the culture of mobility.

The University will shortly appoint a coordinator tasked with gathering available transport information, study the travel demand of University staff and students and provide custom options forindividual travel.

The Institute for Sustainable Development will be conducting research to support the implementation of the plan and investigate the success or otherwise of measures.

Through its Transport Information Systems and Telematics research group, the institutewill be looking at new technologies that will assist the University administration to manage the demand for both private andpublic transport.

The committee also plans to research and support future policy decisions in this area.

More information can be obtained from www.um.edu.mt/isd/greentravel.