Sustainable transport and travel
Sustainable travel at UEL
With a massive community of staff and students who travel to and from our campuses, we are committed to improving the travel behaviours of the UEL community by:
- reducing the need for travel,
- investing in sustainable means of transport,
- encouraging active travel (walking and cycling); and
- assisting the surrounding local communities by reducing traffic congestion and associated harmful impacts of pollutants
Our Sustainable Travel Policy aims to encourage more active, healthy and environmentally friendly travel decisions.
Inter-campus shuttle bus
We operate a regular, free bus service between our Docklands, Stratford, and University Square Stratford campuses.
This runs morning to evening during the teaching weeks, and takes about 25 minutes.
We normally use a double-decker bus, which has step-free access.
Cycling
We support cycling and active travel across our campuses with secure facilities and practical support.
- Bike storage: Secure lockable bike sheds and open bike shelters are available across each campus, making it easier to cycle to UEL.
- Cycle users network: We run a dedicated UEL Cycle Users Network on Microsoft Teams. It helps cyclists stay informed, share advice, and access useful resources.
- Bike maintenance: A free bike maintenance kit is available on campus, with essential tools for basic repairs and adjustments.
- Improved signage: We are updating signage for bike sheds and racks to make them easier to find and use.
Join the UEL Cycle Users Network on Microsoft Teams or speak to campus services to find your nearest bike shed and maintenance kit.
Electric vehicle charging points
As part of our commitment to sustainable travel and our target to achieve net zero by 2030, UEL has installed electric vehicle (EV) charging points, which are now ready to use!
The EV chargers, installed by our partner Siemens, support the shift from petrol and diesel vehicles to electric, helping to reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, and lower our environmental impact. This initiative is also part of the Connected Campus programme and its drive towards wellness and sustainability.
- 27 electric vehicle (EV) charging points have been installed at Docklands campus: RDCS, East Building, Sports Dock and West Building. Please note that the chargers at West Building are not yet operational.
- View our sustainability map to see the locations of the EV chargers.
Commuting
The Sustainability Team runs regular surveys to understand how staff and students travel to and from campus. This helps us identify the types of transport people use (modal split) and calculate Scope 3 carbon emissions from commuting.
We publish the results in our Sustainability Annual Report, where they contribute to our overall carbon footprint analysis.
We are still developing our understanding of student commuting emissions and cannot yet fully quantify their scope.
Location
Our campuses are well connected by public transport, making it easy to travel to UEL.
There is no parking at University Square Stratford (USS). Limited parking is available at Stratford Campus and is reserved for disabled staff and students only.
Find detailed directions and travel options, including public transport routes, on our Finding us page.