Sustainable travel

Storage shelter holding multiple cycles

We encourage staff and students to travel as sustainably as possible and where possible look at alternatives to reduce the impact of your travel:

For research related to active travel and sustainable transport, learn about the Healthy Active Cities research group. It brings researchers from University of Salford together with practitioners and policymakers to discuss issues in sustainable transport.

Advice on travel for staff and students

Walking

If you live within two miles of the university or your destination, walking is a great way to travel here as it will help keep you fit, benefit the environment and is of course, free!

For those who travel here by other means, it can still be incorporated into your day, such as walking between buildings or to and from the train station or bus stop. Walking also promotes clear, creative thinking so why not have a walking meeting around our beautiful campus. All of these short trips will boost health and fitness, burn calories and reduce the carbon we produce from travel.

Why not try out our Tree Trail around our campus and Peel Park.

Cycle

Cycle parking and storage

There are around 400 spaces to park cycles across all of the University campuses. The majority are contained within secure shelters which you can access using your student or staff ID card. Please use the designated cycle parking for increased security and health and safety reasons, we may need to remove your cycle from other areas if it is causing an obstruction. You can view all of the cycle parking and shower facilities on our campuses on the campus map.

Cycle parking

  • Acton Square – Sheffield stands
  • Clifford Whitworth – access-controlled storage facility
  • Crescent House (rear) – access-controlled storage facility
  • Humphrey Booth House – Sheffield stands
  • Mary Seacole – access-controlled storage facility
  • Maxwell (well) – covered storage facility
  • Newton - access-controlled storage facility
  • Peel building - access-controlled storage facility
  • Sports Centre – access-controlled storage facility

Showers

  • Maxwell Hall (access next to cycle parking in Maxwell Well)
  • Crescent House basement
  • Sports Centre
  • The New Adelphi
  • Allerton building (behind Sports Hall, 1st floor)
  • Mary Seacole ground floor (female G39, male G40)  

MediaCity Cycle Hub Membership

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) have developed a Cycle Hub at MediaCity which offers membership-based smartcard access with online application systems. The Cycle Hub is positioned behind the university’s MediaCity premises and is open 24 hours a day. We can now offer reimbursement to colleagues based at MediaCity who opt to travel by bicycle to work.

Cycle security

Unfortunately, cycle theft can occur on campus. We are working with the Greater Manchester Police to tackle the issue and reduce the likelihood of theft occurring. The University of Salford Sports Centre sell Gold Standard D locks at a subsidised price of £15.00. Drop in or for more information, just call +44 (0)161 295 5060

There are ways in which you can reduce the chances of having your cycle stolen:

Cycle safety

  • Direct.gov - Cycling Safely advice and information on staying safe while in the saddle
  • The Highway Code is essential reading for all cyclists who plan on riding on roads, this will help you familiarise yourself with the rules of the road and help you stay safe

Cycle routes and training

Cycle to Work Scheme

As part of the university’s commitment to encouraging sustainable methods of travel, employees can participate in a Cycle to Work scheme. In the scheme the university purchases cycles for employees to use for their commute to work. In exchange for the provision of the cycle, participating employees agree to a reduction in salary to cover the hire charge each month, repaying part of the initial cost to the university and benefiting from tax and National Insurance savings via the salary sacrifice arrangement.

  • For more information and how to apply staff can visit My Salford.

Cycle User Group

To support cycling commuters we have created a Cycle User Group. We encourage staff and student cyclists to join.

Public transport

Season ticket scheme

Season tickets are available to purchase for each mode of transport (tram, bus or train) and System One Travelcards offer a range of tickets if you need to combined bus and train travel. They offer 1, 7 and 28 day tickets as well as annual season tickets.

The University of Salford operates a loan scheme for staff who would like to purchase a season ticket to travel to and from work by bus, tram or train. The employee purchases the ticket and applies for a loan to cover the full cost, which is then recovered through salary deduction over a period of up to 12 months.

Metrolink is offering University of Salford employees a 10% discount off the price of an annual season ticket. An annual season ticket not only saves you time and money but also provides unlimited travel between two chosen stops on weekdays and weekends. No more queuing to buy tickets - a season ticket can be used as many times as you like for work or leisure.

Train

The university benefits from excellent rail links as Salford Crescent station is located between the Peel Park and Frederick Road campuses. Services to Manchester central stations are very frequent and take less than 10 minutes, passengers can then connect to services across the country. There are also direct services to local destinations such as Bolton, Preston, Blackburn, Wigan, Blackpool as well as Manchester Airport.

Railcard

There is a minimum fare of £12 if used before 10:00, a 16-25 Railcard can save you money if you attend university after this time or on weekend trips home.

  • The 16-25 Railcard costs £30 and it will save you 1/3 on rail fares throughout Great Britain for a whole year, or for £70 you can get a 3 year railcard
  • You can save 1/3 on Standard Anytime and Off-Peak fares, as well as Standard Advance and First Class Advance fares
  • You're eligible if you're aged between 16-25, or over the age of 25 and in full-time education
  • More information on the 16-25 Railcard

Bus travel

The university is well served by numerous high frequency bus routes that predominantly stop along the A6/Crescent. This route serves Salford Central train station, Chapel Street, the University of Salford, Salford Crescent, Salford Shopping Centre and terminates at MediaCity and Salford Quays runs up to every 8 minutes at peak times. University of Salford staff and students can travel for free on the 50 between Adelphi Street/Oldfield Road and MediaCity on production of a valid ID card. Any travel on the service beyond this is chargeable and you must be in possession of a valid ticket or be liable for a £50 penalty fare.

Tram

The Greater Manchester Metrolink tram network spans the city, with lines from Bury to Altrincham and from Manchester city centre to Eccles. Our campus at MediaCity has a Metrolink tram stop directly outside the main entrance making it extremely convenient to travel there by tram. Direct services to Eccles and Manchester city centre are available from the MediaCity stop. Those travelling to Bury, Altrincham, Chorlton or Didsbury should change at Cornbrook.

Electric vehicle charging

There are Be.EV (formerly Charge Your Car) electric vehicle charging points located in the following areas around campus:

Please check local parking restrictions as they have charging/parking time limits. 

Car parking

All car parking on the university campus is payable.

Our Sustainable Travel Plan

Our travel surveys show that the majority of students travel by non-car modes (75%) and 49% of staff travel by non-car modes. Single occupancy car use has increased for both staff and students slightly overtime and is likely to be a consequence of reduced car sharing promotion and allowance of unrestricted parking for all users. The surveys also show that a high number of staff and students are unaware of the existing tools and infrastructure measures.

Our ambition is to consolidate and rationalise car-parking across campus and to reduce internal car circulation to promote a healthier, more pedestrian-friendly campus through our Campus Masterplan. The vision also promotes greater levels of cycling in and around the site. Improved pedestrian connections will be key to improving permeability across the campus – think tree-lined boulevards, public squares and a generally more well-defined network of routes and open spaces.