According to the latest surveys, the most common means of transport used by university staff for commuting is the car occupied only by the driver. One third of students use their cars, another third use public transport and the last third use motor-free mobility (cycling and walking). Nonetheless, it has been estimated that student vehicles alone account for more than 5,000 cars on the Poitiers campus.
Encouraging cycling and walking
Some good reasons for favoring green mobility:
The financial cost of driving, not just fuel costs but also insurance, maintenance, repairs etc.
Proven health benefits
Reduced carbon emissions
Freeing up campus parking space for other uses (green areas)
The short distances between classrooms and other sites: 10% of students on campus use their car to go to eat, whereas no campus site is more than a 3-minute walk from a university restaurant or cafeteria.
The University of Poitiers has undertaken several visible actions:
the progressive development of green routes that cyclists can use
the installation of sheltered bicycle parks on all campuses to allow securing parking of bicycles near most buildings and near the main campus activity sites (sport, culture, health services etc.)
It has been demonstrated that students are more likely to use carpooling than staff for home-to-work trips. The proportion of student carpooling is as high as 45% (in Châtellerault).
The university wishes to boost sustainable carpooling and plans to develop specific preferential parking areas for carpoolers.
Students from the College of Sports Sciences, the IUT of Poitiers and the College of Medicine and Pharmacy can secure a preferential parking space by registering three carpooler names with their admissions office.
The Poitiers campus is served by 9 bus lines. Vitalis’ pricing offers have been redesigned with monthly subscriptions and an advantageous reduced rates.
It should be noted that free public transport was introduced in Niort almost two years ago.
