See

discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: http://www.researchgate.net/publication/281610931

2011 Travel Survey Results: Warrnambool

Campus, Deakin University

RESEARCH SEPTEMBER 2015

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.1893.1681

1 AUTHOR:

Sonia Nuttman
Deakin University
8 PUBLICATIONS 10 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

Available from: Sonia Nuttman

Retrieved on: 17 October 2015
 Deakin University
Geelong Waterfront Campus
TravelSmart Report 2011
Contents
Contents ................................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 3
Key findings from student and staff surveys .......................................................................................... 3
Key recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 4
Local considerations ............................................................................................................................. 5
Deakin University- Geelong Waterfront Campus....................................................................................... 6
Location ................................................................................................................................................ 6
Current student locality ...................................................................................................................... 8
Travel Survey Student and Staff Samples ......................................................................................... 9
The current situation ........................................................................................................................... 10
How staff and students travel........................................................................................................... 10
Car ownership and car characteristics ............................................................................................. 11
Vehicle emissions ............................................................................................................................ 13
University vehicle provision and inter-Campus travel ....................................................................... 15
Frequency of aeroplane travel in the past year ................................................................................ 16
Bicycle ownership and use .............................................................................................................. 18
What factors support more sustainable travel? .................................................................................... 20
Climate change - attitudes, values and priority issues...................................................................... 22
What are some of the main transport priorities that the Department of Transport should address?.. 23
What are some of the main priorities that Deakin should address? .................................................. 24
What factors discourage more sustainable travel? .............................................................................. 29
University policies or rules that discourage sustainable travel options ............................................. 29
Where to from here? ............................................................................................................................... 32
Recommendations and local considerations .................................................................................... 32
Appendix A ............................................................................................................................................. 33
Results from the Bike Counts .............................................................................................................. 33

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Introduction
Travel Smart is a State Government program with the objective of motivating ongoing sustainable travel
behaviour. TravelSmart aims to reduce peoples dependency on cars and encourage them to choose
sustainable travel alternatives such as cycling, walking and public transport. Smarter travel choices can
be made by changing one or two trips per week, or by reducing the number of car journeys.

Developing a travel plan for the Geelong Waterfront Campus of Deakin University is an important
strategy to encourage more staff and students to make sustainable travel choices that contribute to
improved health as well as environmental benefits. An effective travel plan at the Campus presents an
opportunity to lead by example, and influence the travel behaviours of other people in Geelong.

The TravelSmart project officially ended on 30 June 2010; however due to the value it has added to the
Universitys environmental and sustainability goals, it has now been merged into the Office of
Environments sustainable transport program. Key successful components of TravelSmart are to be
extended across all four Campuses over the forthcoming years; as such the website has been updated to
reflect these recent developments.

In September 2011, staff and students at Deakin Universitys Geelong Waterfront Campus were invited to
complete an online survey related to their travel behaviours as well as their views on using sustainable
travel modes. This data has been compiled into this report for use in the development of the Geelong
Waterfront Campus travel plan. There were a large number of respondents with n= 290 staff (28%
response rate) and n= 373 students (15.1% response rate) completing the survey.

Key findings from student and staff surveys

The majority of students and staff travel by car to and from the Geelong Waterfront Campus because
it is convenient.
The rate of car ownership is high among students and staff (82 percent and 91 percent respectively).
51.7 percent of students and 64.8 percent of staff own a bike. Approximately 21.2 percent of students
and 23.4 percent of staff reported that they cycle regularly, however, fewer students cycle to
University compared with staff (7.7 percent vs. 10 percent).
A concern for safety on the roads and a lack of end of trip facilities are the major barriers to more
students and staff cycling to the Geelong Waterfront Campus. Separating bikes from motorised
vehicles by constructing off-road cycle paths has been suggested to encourage more people to cycle
to the Campus.
An increase in the frequency of bus services to and from the Geelong Waterfront Campus as well as
adding extra bus services are high priority travel issues for many students and staff. Carpooling and

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 using a bus were the two most popular modes of travel considered as an alternative to the current
mode being used by staff and students.
Among staff, the most common mode of travel between Campuses was to carpool with another staff
member in a Deakin University car (56%). One-third of staff drive alone, 13 percent used their private
car and 17 percent a Deakin University vehicle. Very few staff reported their usual mode of travel
between Campuses as train or bus (8%).
Designated carpooling car parks with either free or discounted parking permits was a high to very-
high priority issue for students and staff. Many indicated that they would consider carpooling to travel
to and from the Campus if this was in place.
Policies that encourage public transport or video conferencing, (62.8%) subsided or discounted
Metcards for work related purposes (61.7%) and university fleet (64.1%) and marketing vehicles
(64.2%) that are energy efficient were also considered high to very high priorities for staff.

Around 66 percent of students travelled on a domestic flight over the past 12 months. Over one-third
of students (30.2%) travelled internationally over the past 12 months. Just over one-quarter of staff
(25.5%) have travelled once or twice to another region in Australia and 18.2 percent have travelled
internationally.

Key recommendations
Investigate the feasibility of making small adjustments to the timetable to have trains (particularly from
Melbourne) arrive in Geelong before the hour and depart after the hour, to better fit with the start and
finishing times of classes. A more frequent half hourly service has been suggested to encourage even
more students and staff to travel by train. The ability to do University work on the train is an additional
benefit of train travel. Parking and traffic difficulties as well as the cost of fuel are disincentives for car
travel and contribute to the increased attractiveness of train travel.
Investigate the feasibility of train timetables from Warrnambool to Geelong, that travel through places
such as Colac, Whittlesea and Marshall to be adjusted (more frequent and better aligned with
University hours) as an incentive for more students and staff who live west of Geelong to travel by
train.
Increased publicity for the Deakin University car pooling program is required as the majority of
students and staff reported being unaware of its existence.
The establishment of carpooling car parks for those who carpool with either discounted or free car
parking permits has been suggested as a way to increase students and staff to carpool.
Responses to several survey questions indicate that buses should be more frequent and extra
services should be added. Careful examination of existing bus timetables would be beneficial to know
exactly which routes should be added or upgraded.

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 Review staff car bookings for trips between Burwood and Geelong from the past two or three years
and explore the feasibility of providing a daily Deakin University mini-bus service between Burwood
and Geelong.
Consultation with the City of Greater Geelong to access information on the walk-ability and bike-
ability of routes radiating up to 10 kilometres from the Geelong Waterfront Campus. It may be
possible for students and staff to contribute to the process of identifying problem areas to improve the
infrastructure and make it safer, more convenient and more pleasant to walk or cycle to the Campus.
Off-road walking and cycling paths are preferred to on-road lanes.
A further incentive for more students and staff to cycle to the Geelong Waterfront Campus would be
to improve the security of bike storage, washroom and locker facilities.
Few staff are currently required to commute regularly to Warrnambool, however if the Geelong to
Warrnambool train timetable was better aligned with University hours, staff could use time more
efficiently by working on the train rather than driving.

Local considerations
The close proximity of the Geelong railway station and the bus interchange to the Geelong Waterfront
Campus makes train and bus travel a convenient choice if timetables align well with University hours.
The location of the Geelong Waterfront Campus on the Geelong foreshore is conducive to walking
and cycling in this area.

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Deakin University- Geelong Waterfront
Campus
Location
Deakin's Geelong Waterfront Campus is located on the foreshore of Corio Bay in the central business
district (CBD) of Geelong. Originally built as wool stores in 1893, the buildings have been extensively
renovated to create a modern and impressive Campus. Geelong Railway Station and the bus
interchange are within two city blocks of the Geelong Waterfront Campus and the block between Smythe,
Gheringhap and Brougham streets contains the car park for use by students and staff who purchase a
permit.

Figure 1. Location of Deakin University Geelong Waterfront Campus

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More than 2000 students are based at the Geelong Waterfront Campus which hosts the School of
Architecture and Building, the School of Health and Social Development and the School of Nursing. The
Campus features a 320-seat lecture theatre, cafeteria, library, bookshop, medical centre, counselling
services, Computer Aided Design (CAD) laboratories, purpose built, occupational therapy laboratory and
design studios. The Dennys Lascelles Building was the subject of a $37 million redevelopment, which
has increased the capacity of the Geelong Waterfront Campus, allowing the University to provide an
expanded range of courses. Included in the Dennys Lascelles Building are the Alfred Deakin Research
Institute, including the Alfred Deakin Prime-Ministerial Library and an interdisciplinary teaching and
research centre covering political science, public policy and governance, international relations,
globalisation, journalism and communications. Other areas of study include Architecture and Construction
Management, Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Social Work.

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Student locality data
The student locality data map is arranged by postcode and lists the number of students that reside
within. The darker the colour the greater the number of students who live within the postcode.

Page 8
Travel Survey Student and Staff Samples
In September 2011, staff and students at Deakin Universitys Geelong Waterfront Campus were
invited to complete an online survey related to travel behaviour (see Tables 1 and 2 for
characteristics of the two samples).

Table 1. Characteristics of student sample Table 2. Characteristics of staff sample

n=373 % n=290 %
Gender Gender
Male 104 27.9 Male 168 58
Female 267 71.6 Female 113 39

Age (years) Age (years)

<19 54 14.5 <19 1 0.3
20-29 242 64.8 20-29 51 17.6
30-39 32 8.6 30-39 85 29.3
40-49 25 6.7 40-49 79 27.4
50-59 11 2.9 50-59 62 21.4
60+ 2 0.5 60+ 10 3.5

Enrolment characteristics Employment type

On Campus 334 89.5 Academic 55 19
Off Campus 29 7.7 General 234 80.1
Domestic 332 89
Employment time fraction
International 31 8.3
Full time 220 75.8
Full time 330 88.5 Part time 37 12.8
Part time 37 10 Casual 32 11

Undergraduate 296 79.3 Vehicle ownership

Postgraduate 71 19 Car 265 91.3
Bike 188 64.8
First year 102 27.4
Second year 84 22.5 Deakin car parking permit 222 76.5
Third year 84 5.8
Fourth year 62 16.6
Fifth year 32 8.6

Vehicle ownership
Car 306 82.1
Bike 193 51.7

Deakin car parking permit 138 37

Public transport concession card 102 27.4

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The current situation
How staff and students travel

Figure 3: Student and staff modes of travel to the Geelong Waterfront Campus

The data in figure 3 demonstrates that one third of students (31.8 percent) and just over two thirds
of staff (64.1 percent) travel to and from the Geelong Waterfront Campus as the sole occupant of a
car. A small proportion of staff (5.9%) and students (10.8%) take public transport to get to Deakin,
and 7.6 percent of staff and 5.8 percent of students reported carpooling. Very few staff (3.4%) and
students (1.6%) reported cycling to campus. More students (9.4%) reported walking to campus
than staff (4.4%).

Figure 4: Has travel behaviour changed amongst staff?

Page 10
The data in figure 4 indicate that travel in a single occupant motor vehicle has increased since
2009. The data also suggests that walking and cycling has decreased, however, travel by bus has
increased. Similar trends are found for those who carpool.

Figure 5: Has travel behaviour amongst students changed?

The data in figure 5 indicates that travel in a single occupant motor vehicle has remained
consistent since 2009 amongst students. Walking has also increased during this time, however,
bus and train travel has decreased. Cycling to campus as also remained relatively stable.

Car ownership and car characteristics

Figure 5: Car ownership rates

The data in figure 5 demonstrates that a high rate of car ownership among students and staff at the
Geelong Waterfront Campus with 82 percent of students and 91 percent of staff owning a car.

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Figure 6: Age of cars

The data in figure 6 illustrates that staff generally own more newer cars than students where 36
percent of staff own a car less than five years old, compared with students (21%).

Figure 7: Type of fuel

The data in figure 7 demonstrates that the majority of cars owned by staff (80%) and students
(72.6%) are run using unleaded petrol.

Figure 8: Type of car

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The data in figure 8 illustrates that the majority of cars owned by staff (61%) and students (52.8%)
are 4-cylinder.

Vehicle emissions

Figure 9: Awareness of the impact of vehicle emissions on the environment

The data in figure 9 indicates that the majority of staff (76.5%) and students (73%) are aware of the
impact that vehicle emissions have on the environment. A minority of staff and students appear to
have either some or no awareness of this concept at the Geelong Waterfront Campus.

Further analyses were then undertaken to determine the approximate amount of greenhouse
emissions that these cars emit on an annual basis, the number of black balloons equivalent and
the number of trees required to offset these vehicles over a period of 12 months.

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Table 3: Greenhouse gas emissions according to vehicle type over a 12 month period

Vehicle Type Number of Cars Greenhouse No. of black Number of Trees

emissions balloons** required to
(tonnes) offset***
4-cylinder
unleaded petrol 259 1059.3 21,186,000 4,156

4-cylinder LPG
3 10.38 207,600 49
4-cylinder diesel
11 33.9 678,000 177
6-cylinder
unleaded petrol 119 628.3 12,566,000 1,910

6-cylinder LPG
24 107.3 2,146,000 386
6-cylinder diesel
4 15.9 318,000 65
8-cylinder
unleaded petrol 4 26.8 536,000 65

8-cylinder LPG
2 11.4 228,000 33
8-cylinder diesel
0 0 0 0
4WD/SUV petrol
14 95.3 1,906,000 225
4WD/SUV LPG
3 18.2 364,000 49
4WD/SUV diesel
9 48.6 960,000 145
Hybrid
2 3.12 62,400 33

Total 454 2,058.5 41,158,000 7,293

*the data in table 3 is based on the EPAs car eco meter. It assumes that the vehicle is of post-1997 age, automatic transmission with an
annual driving distance of 15,000km. Note that 4-cylinder vehicles were considered small, 6-cylinder vehicles large, 8-cylinder
vehicles very large and 4WD/SUV vehicles medium 4WD. Emissions of vehicle type other were calculated using Greenfleets web
tool Australian Tree Totaller. The number of greenhouse emissions are therefore an estimate in this calculation.
**1 black balloon is equivalent to 50 grams of greenhouse gas, based on the State Governments program
http://www.saveenergy.vic.gov.au/blackballoons.aspx
***the total number of trees required to offset each car over a 12 month period was calculated using Greenfleets web tool Australian
Tree Totaller https://secure.greenfleet.com.au/treetotaller/treetotaller.htm

The data in table 3 indicate that from the number of cars owned by staff and students in this
sample together they produce approximately 2,058 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, this
equates to 41.1 million black balloons. To offset these emissions over 7,000 trees would need to
be planted.

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University vehicle provision and inter-Campus travel

Deakin University provides cars for staff to conduct University business. Some staff have vehicles
assigned to them and have unrestricted use; others have access to department vehicles or Central
Pool vehicles. Central Pool vehicles are located on all Campuses.

Figure 10: University vehicle provisions for staff

The data in figure 10 indicate that the around half of employees (50%) are not provided with a car
or use of a car, while a further 48 percent have access to a car but only for work-related trips
during the day. A very small proportion of staff (2%) have unrestricted use to a vehicle.

Figure 11: Frequency of staff travel between campuses

The data in figure 11 indicates that around half of staff (51.7%) travel to the Melbourne Burwood
Campus occasionally, similarly for the Warrnambool campus (44.5%). Around 16.9 percent of staff

Page 15
travel to the Melbourne Burwood Campus monthly and a small proportion of staff (9.7%) travel a
few times a week or once a week to the Campus.

Figure 12: Staff mode of transport for inter-campus travel

The data in figure 12 indicates that just over half of staff (56%) carpool with another staff member
in a Deakin University vehicle when travelling inter-campus, while 30 percent of travel alone, either
in a Deakin Uni vehicle or a private car. Very few staff travel by bus or train.

Frequency of aeroplane travel in the past year

Figure 13: Staff travel over the past 12 months

*the data in figure 13 was based on Greenfleets Australian Tree Totaller. Note that short international trips were considerered
as flights to New Zealand or Asia and long international trups were considered flights to the US or Europe.

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The data in figure 13 indicates that the majority of staff have not travelled at all over the past 12
months. Just over one-quarter of staff (25.5%) have travelled once or twice to another region in
Australia and a smaller percentage have travelled on either an international long or short flight.

Figure 14: Student travel over the past 12 months

*the data in figure 14 was based on Greenfleets Australian Tree Totaller. Note that short international trips were considerered
as flights to New Zealand or Asia and long international trups were considered flights to the US or Europe.

The data in figure 14 indicates that around 66 percent of students travelled on a domestic flight
over the past 12 months. Over one-third of students (30.2%) travelled on an international short
flight and 26 percent flew on an international long flight.

The data was then analysed for the number of greenhouse emissions that were emitted for these
flights, the results are shown below in table 4.

Table 4: Greenhouse Gas emissions according to flight type and number

Flight Type Number of Greenhouse No. of black Number of

Flights emissions balloons** Trees required
(tonnes)* to offset***
Domestic
712 254.6 5,092,000 951
Intentional (Short)
213.5 360.8 7,216,000 1,350
International
(Long) 210 789.3 15,786,000 2,946

Total 1,135.5
1,404.7 28,094,000 5,247
*for air travel calculation, the total warming impact has been used using Greenfleets calculator. This includes the indirect effects of
releasing greenhouse gases high into the atmosphere, where they have a greater impact than they would if released at ground level.

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**1 black balloon is equivalent to 50 grams of greenhouse gas, based on the State Governments program
http://www.saveenergy.vic.gov.au/blackballoons.aspx
***the total number of trees required to offset each car was calculated using Greenfleets web tool Australian Tree Totaller
https://secure.greenfleet.com.au/treetotaller/treetotaller.htm

The data in table 4 indicate that from the total number of flights undertaken by students and staff in
this sample over a 12 month period approximately 1,400 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions
were produced, this equates to over 28 million black balloons. To offset these emissions over
5,000 trees would need to be planted.

Bicycle ownership and use

Figure 15: Bicycle ownership

The data in figure 15 indicate that over two-thirds of staff (64.8%) and just over a half of students
(51.7%) own a bicycle.

Figure 16: Cycling patterns

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The data in figure 16 indicate that over a quarter of staff (23.4%) and students (21.2%) cycle
regularly, however, only a small proportion cycle to Uni. The majority of staff (71.7%) and students
(66%) dont cycle to the University.

Students and staff were asked to report on the barriers that discourage people from cycling or
walking to the Geelong Waterfront Campus the. The responses are shown in figure 16.

Figure 17: Barriers to cycling

The data in figure 17 demonstrates that a number of factors discourage staff and students from
cycling. Road safety (43.2%), including a lack of on or off-road lanes (41.8%) discourage students
a great deal from cycling to campus, while a lack of end of trip facilities, such as washrooms
(44%) and storage (46.4%) were also barriers for students. The main barriers for staff was the
weather (43.4%) and end of trip facilities, particularly storage for clothing and bicycle equipment
(41.4%).

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What factors support more sustainable travel?
What are common factors that influence the decisions for staff/students who dont drive to
or from the site?

The reasons students and staff who travel by bus or train to and from the Geelong Waterfront
Campus choose to do so, are mostly related to convenience, relaxation and being cheaper.
Students travelling from Melbourne reported that the train was cheaper and less stressful than
driving and it also provided an opportunity to do University work on the train. Staff reported it was
more relaxing and provided time to work or read, was cheaper and convenient.

Examples of such responses Included:

Can read a book while travelling (Student)

Dont need a second car and provides mental downtime (Staff)
Relaxing, less stressful than driving (Staff)
Convenience. I live in Melbourne and I need to get to Geelong Waterfront Campus. I do
not wish to drive after a full day of uni. It is too tiring. I prefer to sit on the train (Student)
I do not have a car Student)
I can spend my time reading or taking a nap (Staff)
To escape the heavy traffic in the morning (Student)
Save money travelling by train rather than driving (Student)
V-Line train is the fastest and most comfortable way to travel between Melbourne city to
the Geelong Waterfront Campus of Deakin University (Staff)
I dont need to worry about driving and parking (Staff)
Because it is cheaper, I can study on the train; it saves the environment and saves wear
and tear on my car (Student)

Examples of reasons given for walking or cycling included:

Dont have to pay for fuel or parking plus good exercise (Student)
Cycling keeps me fit, causes less pollution than driving, I enjoy it and it provides me with
easy access to lecture theatres (Student)
Lack of free parking (Student)
Health and fitness (Staff)
We are a one car family so I generally cycle (Staff)
It takes only 30 minutes to walk from home to the Campus and I enjoy the brisk walk.
(Staff)

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Students and staff were asked about their willingness to consider various forms of travel to and
from the Geelong Waterfront Campus (Figure 19).

Figure 18: Willingness to consider more sustainable modes of transport to get to Uni

The data in figure 18 indicates that the majority of staff (79.3%) and students (77.7%) will continue
to drive to get to the Geelong Waterfront Campus. Over half of students (55%) reported that they
would consider carpooling to Deakin. Smaller percentages of staff and students would also
consider taking public transport, cycling and walking. Staff and students reported that they would
only consider these options once significant changes occurred to make these alternative options
more viable. Examples of comments are listed below:

Carpooling:
Being guaranteed a park if we are carpooling, have passes for those who car pool
(Student)

Reward system for carpooling could be advantageous (Student)

Free or discounted parking for people that are carpooling (Staff)

Improve car-pooling, priority parking for cars with more than 1 person (Staff)

Walking and Cycling:

Provide more secure areas for bikes to be kept during the day (Student)
Have better student accommodation near the University (Particularly at Waterfront
Campus) that is walking distance (Student)
In Geelong certainly, more bicycle lanes and more bicycle friendly traffic couldnt hurt
(Staff)

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 There should be more bike racks, and lockers for storage of change of clothes, helmet
etc. (Student)

Provide better bike parking - more secure, under cover, and within the university
(Waterfront) instead of out in the street. Facilities for changing and showering (Student)

Access to showers and changing rooms, lockers for bike helmets & towels, etc. (Staff)

Cycling, better infrastructure at Deakin. We lag behind other institutions with both
infrastructures for cycling, and also # of facilities for showering etc. (Staff)

Public transport:
More direct routes to the Geelong campuses from each suburb that do not involve
meandering through various suburbs (Staff)
Frequent shuttle buses between public transport hubs and campus (Student)
Train timetables that match up with classes starting i.e. arriving 30minutes before a lecture
rather than 1 hour, or 5 minutes (Student)
More frequent VLine trains to and from Melbourne, to give students more options
(Student)
It would be great if the v-line services went more frequently between Geelong and
Melbourne. I waste a lot of time a week waiting for trains (Student)
More regular public transport, better facilities for cyclists, more/better showers etc. cleaner
public transport, closer public transport (Staff)
If public transport was more reliable then staff may be encouraged to take public transport.
A designated Geelong-Melbourne train line or a ferry service may encourage more people
to commute via public transport (Staff)

Climate change - attitudes, values and priority issues

The Deakin University travel survey included a question on the personal importance given to the
issue of climate change by staff and students. The responses are shown in figure 18.

Figure 19: Importance of climate change to staff and students at the Geelong Waterfront
Campus

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The majority of staff and students stated that climate change is of somewhat, very or extreme
personal importance. More students (39.1 percent) felt the issue was somewhat important
compared to staff (30 percent).However, more staff than students felt the issue was either very
important or extremely important (57.1 percent compared to 45.7 percent).

What are some of the main transport priorities that the Department of
Transport should address?

This years travel survey included a question around transport priorities for the Melbourne Campus
at Burwood that the Department of Transport should address. Five issues were presented and staff
and students were asked to rank whether they were of a low, medium, high or very high priority.
These included:
1. Victorian transport concession cards extended for international students
2. Victorian transport concession cards extended for all tertiary domestic students, e.g. TAFE
3. Increased frequency of public bus services to Deakin University
4. Extra public bus services to Deakin University
5. Increased number of shelter areas at bus and tram stops for hot and/or rainy days

Table 5: Student responses

Priority Level VPT concession VPT concession Increased Extra public bus Increased
card for cards for all frequency of services to number of
International tertiary buses to Campus Campus shelter areas
students domestic
students
Low
13.9% 4.6% 2.9% 5.4% 13.4%

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Medium
33.5% 18.8% 14.5% 16.6% 27.6%
High
28.2% 31.1% 30.3% 34% 29.2%
VHigh
23.6% 45% 51.5% 43.4% 29%

The data in table 5 indicates that students reported increasing the frequency of public bus services
(81.8%) and extra public bus services (77.4%) to campus as high to very high priorities.
Concession cards available for all tertiary domestic students were also on the high to very high
priority list (76.1%).

Table 6: Staff responses

Priority Level VPT concession VPT concession Increased Extra public bus Increased
card for cards for all frequency of services to number of
International tertiary buses to Campus shelter areas
students domestic Campus
students
Low
11.4% 6.6% 2.4% 2.8% 10%
Medium
28.3% 24.1% 11% 12.4% 28.6%
High
35.9% 39% 36.2% 33.8% 32.8%
VHigh
22.1% 27.2% 47.6% 48.3% 24.8%

The data in table 6 indicate that over two thirds of staff reported that having increased bus
frequency to Campus (83.8%), extra public bus services to the Campus (83.8%) and Victorian
Public Transport concession cards extended for all tertiary domestic students (66.2%) as high to
very high priorities.

What are some of the main priorities that Deakin should address?
This years travel survey included a question around transport priorities for the Geelong Campus at
Waurn Ponds. Seven issues were presented and staff and students were asked to rank whether
they were of a low, medium, high or very high priority. These included:
1. Designated and free carpooling car parks for students and staff
2. Designated carpooling car parks with discounted parking permits
3. A travel policy which encourages staff and students to take public transport or video
conference between Campuses, i.e. Burwood and Geelong
4. All flights undertaken by staff for work purposes to be off-set through a voluntary scheme
such as climate positive
5. Subsidised or discounted Metcards for staff
6. Deakin University fleet vehicles that are energy efficient, i.e. hybrid (Toyota Prius), diesel
(Hyundai 130)

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 7. Deakin University Marketing vehicles that are energy efficient, i.e. hybrid (Toyota Prius),
diesel (Hyundai 130)
8. Parking restrictions for those who live within a 5-10 minute walk to the university

Table 7: Student response

Priority Free car pooling Discounted Policy to University fleet & Parking
Level car parks for staff carpooling car encourage staff & marketing vehicles restrictions for
and students parks for staff and students to take that are energy those living
students PT or efficient within5-10
videoconference minutes walk
between from Campus
campuses
Low
5.9% 5.1% 12.6% 26.3% 25.7%
Medium
20.6% 23.1% 36.2% 31.1% 23.3%
High
31.6% 34.3% 30.8% 26.3% 25.2%
VHigh 41.6% 37% 19.8% 15.3% 25.2%

The data in table 7 indicates that the majority of students would like to see carpooling car parks
with either free (73.2%) or discounted permits (71.3%).

Table 8: Staff response

Priority Free car Discounted Travel policy Flights Subsidised University University Parking
Level pooling carpooling encouraging undertaken or fleet marketing restrictions
car parks car parks for use of public by staff for discounted vehicles vehicles for those
for staff staff and transport or work to be met cards that are that are living
and students video off-set for staff energy energy within5-10
students conferencing through efficient efficient minutes
between voluntary walk from
Campuses scheme Campus

Low
11% 12.1% 8.3% 25.5% 11.4% 8.3% 10% 30.3%
Medium
25.9% 24.5% 27.2% 34.5% 25.2% 25.2% 24.1% 24.8%
High
37.6% 40.3% 41.4% 22.8% 33.8% 32.4% 31.4% 19%
VHigh 23.1% 20.7% 21.4% 13.1% 27.9% 31.7% 32.8% 23.8%

The data in table 8 indicates that staff would like to see a number of changes within the University.
Carpooling car parks with either free (60.7%) or discounted permits (61%) where considered a
high to very high priority. Policies that encourage public transport or video conferencing, (62.8%)
subsided or discounted Metcards for work related purposes (61.7%) and university fleet (64.1%)

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and marketing vehicles (64.2%) that are energy efficient were also considered high to very high
priorities.

What existing facilities in the local area support staff and students, who walk, cycle, catch a
bus or public transport?

The location of the Geelong Waterfront Campus in the Geelong CBD means that the railway
station and bus interchange are a short walk to the Geelong Waterfront Campus. The foreshore
location is picturesque, therefore those who are close enough to walk or cycle via the foreshore
path, have a pleasant route to the Campus. Most buses in Geelong terminate at Geelong Station
which is only a 5minute walk to Campus. Student and staff reports, however, indicate that direct
buses to the campus are limited and they take double the time of private transport.

Are there any car pooling arrangements already operating at the site?

In March 2010, the Office of Environment funded the trial of a carpooling service on all four
Campuses at Deakin University. The trial was successful and carpooling now operates at the
University on an on-going basis. The following section reports on the number of staff and students
currently registered to the carpool matching service and to ascertain barriers and facilitators for
carpooling.

Figure 20: Number of staff and students registered to the on-line carpooling site

The 2011 survey asked existing carpool registrants to explain why they decided to register to the
carpooling program and whether they have found someone to carpool with on a regular basis to
the University. Staff and students gave a number of reasons to why they decided to carpool, the
most common include, to save costs, meet new people and reduce own impact on the
environment. Comments include.

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 To save money e.g. petrol; makes it easier to get a car parking space with one car
compared with 4 cars (Student)

Less stress looking for 1 car park (Student)

I live on res at Waurn ponds but have class at waterfront. Other people on res have the
same classes so we take it in turns to drive (Student)

I car pool because I am concerned to reduce my carbon footprint (Staff)

From the number of registered car poolers only some people have been able to find a match and
have started carpooling to Campus. This may be explained by the relatively low number of staff
and students who are registered to the program, making a likely match difficult. The survey also
asked participants who have not signed up to the carpooling program why they havent registered
to the program. Common themes include.
Feeling uncomfortable sharing a car with someone they dont know
Believing arrival and departure times would not align with others
Wanting flexibility when to leave the university, work/family reasons
Not being aware of the programs existence

I did not know it existed, after hours activities prevent would prevent this being useful
(Student)

Don't want to ride with strangers/can't return the carpooling as I do not drive (Student)

As I have work at all different times and I dont have the time to work around others to take
them (Student)

Because it has the potential to be unsafe, i.e. their driving skills may not be 100% and people
would be aware of your personal information (address etc.) (Staff)

Convenience - I have things to do on the way home from work, e.g. family commitments
(Staff)

Some opportunities to overcome the barriers listed above were provided by staff and students. The
most common themes include.
Organising free lunches/afternoon teas where staff and students could meet each other on
mutual grounds and get to know each other
Providing incentives with car companies for discounts, i.e. servicing, petrol, tyres
Free or discounted carpooling car parks for those that carpool
Regular advertising and reminders

Advertising - I hadnt even heard of this scheme (Staff)

A bit more promotion for people like me who missed it! Combine a social / club / team
challenge element....?? (Staff)

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 Cheaper or free car parking. How to police? Could have section of car park free for cars
with 2 or more passengers and Security Guard at entrance (Staff)

Club membership rewards or discount vouchers at popular stores. i.e. make it feel
financially beneficial to all participants (Staff)

More awareness of this program (I was not actually aware that such a program was in
place) (Student)

I think a lot has to do with safety and being unsure who you car-pool with. So maybe a
meet and greet before you agree to car pool? (Student)

What activities/programs at the site link with what the travel plan is trying to achieve?

The aim of TravelSmart is to encourage people to make smarter choices to reduce the number of
car journeys. High quality information technology and communication (ITC) facilities at the
University, including Deakin Studies on-line, i-lectures and e-live allows for a greater proportion of
students to study from home as part of their study week and avoid some trips to the University.
Academic staff are also able to stay connected to the University via the ITC facilities and therefore
can avoid daily trips to the Campus through the use of this facility.

Incentives to use more sustainable modes of transport to and from the Campus is supported
through interest free loans for students for Metcards and bikes, bicycle store discounts for bicycle
parts and accessories and the TravelSmart website which provides useful information for those
seeking to use sustainable modes of transport to and from the Campus.

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What factors discourage more sustainable travel?
What were the most common reasons given by staff/students for driving?
Convenience was the major reason why staff and students travel to the Geelong Waterfront
Campus as a sole occupant in a car. Inadequate public transport services were also mentioned as
reasons for car travel.

I live over an hour and a half away. It's more feasible to travel this way [drive] than to catch
public transport (Student)
Poor public transport system in hometown (Torquay); amount of books to carry is easier to
take in car then cart around walking to and from bus stops; bus stops are unsheltered in my
area and too cold/wet to wait at in the rain (Student)
Too difficult to catch a bus - only a bus every hour; it would take up to an hour and half to
get to work (and I am only 5kms from CBD); Convenience - because I am a carer of an
elderly parent (who I need to see every day) (Staff)
I live 40+km from Geelong and start teaching 0800hrs; I also have to drop off a child at
child care and pick up at end of day. Single parent (Staff)
Because it's the most economical & convenient way of getting here; I also start work early
and there are no other options available at the time to get here (Staff)

Do University Campus facilities discourage staff and students from walking, cycling, or
catching public transport?

Inadequate end of trip facilities, i.e. showers, change rooms, lockers and secure bike racks are one
of the main reasons that staff and students dont cycle to the Geelong Waterfront Campus. The
existing bike racks at Waurn Ponds require relocation as currently they are on the boundary of the
campus, which makes it unsafe to lock bikes up that are of value. The absence of a secure bike
cage is also a deterrent for some as staff and students have reported not wanting to lock up their
bike in the outdoor bike racks. There are also gaps with regards to footpaths and cycling lanes
around the Campus where these lack consistency. Staff and students who are not within proximity
of the off-road bike lanes are required to cycle on the road to get to Campus.

Although public transport services terminate at Geelong Station (5 minute walk to Waterfront),
many staff and students have commented on the frequency and length of time that the current
buses take to get to Campus. It has been suggested to increase the number of direct services to
the Campus.

University policies or rules that discourage sustainable travel options

Deakin University Permits:

Presently staff can obtain parking permits through a salary sacrifice at the University. These
permits cost $201.50 per year for a blue zone, however, they are offered at a reduced price

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through salary sacrifice at $183 per year for a blue zone. In 2012 there will be a significant
increase in the cost of parking permits with the aim to bring permits on par with public transport
fares and in line with parking permits currently being sold at other Universities. Table 11
demonstrates the relative cost of parking permits between Universities.

Table 9: Parking Permit Costs across Universities in Victoria 2011

University Parking Permit Cost

Deakin University
Melbourne University
Monash University
La Trobe University
Swinburne University
$203 blue annual
$1130 annual staff only, $7 flat rate for students per day
$175-$350 blue permit
$230 student annual white
$768 per annum (staff only) eastern campuses, $6.50 flat rate for
students per day

Figure 21: Deakin University Parking Permits

The data in figure 21 indicate that 37 percent of students and 76.5 percent of staff had bought a
parking permit for 2011. More staff than students purchase parking permits at the Geelong
Waterfront Campus.

Salary Packaging:
The University provides salary packaging for motor vehicles, including novated leases. On a
novated lease staff members dont need to spend any capital upfront or make a deposit, they can
also choose any car they like. All running costs are incorporated into the annual salary sacrifice
(fuel, repairs, maintenance, registration, tyres, insurance) and staff members can have the use of
the vehicle without having to budget for the repayments. Interest rates are also fixed over the life of
the loan. This arrangement leaves it open for staff to choose large, energy consumptive vehicles
and encourages staff members to update their car to a new one every three to four years. The

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Green Vehicle Guide Information and link attached to the Salary Packaging Website which
provides advice for staff on selecting a more efficient vehicle.

It has also been noted that the University does not provide any incentives such as subsidised
Metcards or bicycles for staff, yet staff are able to salary sacrifice or package laptops, etc.

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Where to from here?
This report has been prepared for use in the development of strategies to promote more
sustainable travel choices. It will conclude with a series of recommendations and local
considerations.

Recommendations and local considerations

It would be beneficial to students and staff travelling to the Geelong Waterfront Campus from
Melbourne to request that V/Line make small adjustments to the train timetable to have trains
arrive in Geelong before the hour and depart after the hour to better fit with the start and finish
times of classes. The timetable of trains from Warrnambool to Geelong that travel through Colac,
Whittlesea and Marshall might also be adjusted as an incentive for more students and staff who
live west of Geelong to travel by train.

For students and staff living in areas surrounding Geelong, such as the Bellarine Peninsula, Surf
Coast and the Otway region, the current public transport options appear to be limited. These areas
are located too far to cycle or walk to the Geelong Waterfront Campus. The investigation of a
designated carpooling car park for those who carpool is suggested to increase the number of staff
and students utilising this service. There would be an additional benefit of reduced fuel costs if
these were shared. If parking fees were also more expensive for those who travel alone, this would
be a further incentive to car pool.

More frequent and extra bus services were reported as a high priority by around three-quarters of
students and staff. The close proximity of the bus interchange to the Geelong Waterfront Campus
is conducive to bus travel. It is not possible to gauge whether more buses are required in Geelong
or to connect the surrounding locations to Geelong. Careful examination of existing bus timetables
would be beneficial to know exactly which routes should be added or upgraded. Suggestions to
provide Deakin card holders with concession tickets should also be given some thought.

It might be worthwhile for Deakin University to consult with the City of Greater Geelong to access
information on the walk-ability and bike-ability of routes radiating up to 10 kilometres from the
Geelong Waterfront Campus. It may be possible for students and staff to contribute to the process
of identifying problem areas to improve the infrastructure and make it safer, more convenient and
more pleasant to walk or cycle to the Campus. The existing facilities are reported to be unsafe due
to traffic as most of the cycle lanes are on-road. Off-road walking and cycling paths are safer and
preferred. The foreshore walking and cycling path is conducive to people living in close proximity to
the path to choose this mode. A further incentive for more students and staff to cycle to the
Geelong Waterfront Campus would be to improve the security of bike storage as well as washroom
and locker facilities for cycling gear. The lack or absence of these facilities, respondents feel, is
discouraging those who may otherwise consider this mode of travel to and from Campus.

The time is right to form a Geelong Waterfront Campus specific travel plan to promote greater
awareness of ways to make more sustainable travel choices and remove some of the barriers and
disincentives to making these choices.

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Appendix A
Results from the Bike Counts
Bike Count Data: Monday 26 September to Friday 30 September

Weather during bike counts

Monday 26 Tuesday 27 Wednesday Thursday 29 Friday 30

September September 28 September September September
Weather Sunny Sunny Rainy Showers/overcast Not reported

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