The Big Drive: sharing the cost, reducing the carbon

Car Share

In a bid to facilitate more sustainable travel options for its staff, the University has launched a car sharing scheme called LivShare.

There are many benefits to car sharing, from financial benefits of sharing transport and parking costs to social benefits of sharing the journey with a colleague, as well as helping the environment. On average those who car share save around £1,000 a year!

The LivShare website  allows staff to search for potential sharers, view their matches and plan their journeys together using Google maps. University staff from across the campus can log on to the website using their staff MWS ID, as the website forms a safe and secure part of the University system.

Graham Pollard, Travel Plan Officer, said: “We know many people are already sharing their journeys to work, so we are also developing incentives in the form of designated car parking bays for those who car share. We want to encourage staff to share the cost of getting to work and to reduce their carbon footprint, helping to make the University environment better for everyone.”

There are 38 dedicated car share bays located in the basement of the Foundation Building and outside the Hart Building, and staff can apply for their car sharing group to use these spaces via the LivShare website.

Applications for the car share parking bays are now open and can only be processed once people are matched via the LivShare scheme. Staff can submit their application in the ‘Active Car Shares’ tab on the website. If demand exceeds supply then preference will be given to those groups of more than two people sharing.

Spaces will be allocated on a six monthly basis, the first of which will begin within the next few weeks and will be subject to standard parking charges. The deadline for applicants to be considered for the first round car share spaces is the 9 December and successful applicants will be notified shortly afterwards.

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