Trinity Sustainability Reveals Draft Campus Travel Plan – The University Times

On September twenty second, Trinity Sustainability launched a 150 web page draft Campus Travel Plan (2025-2030) developed as part of Trinity’s Sustainability Strategy, which outlines ambitions to realize a wholesome and nature-positive campus by 2030 and web zero emissions by 2040.

The draft solutions, partly, to Trinity’s obligations below the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act of 2021. It additionally addresses the declining charges of strolling and biking, which have decreased by 8% and 6% respectively since 2018.

The Travel Plan explores the transport atmosphere at Trinity throughout 5 key themes: Walking and Wheeling, Cycling, Public Transport, Vehicle Access, and Visitors and Tourism. It additionally focuses on journey to and from Trinity’s central campus, along with advocacy on exterior infrastructures to enhance journey between Trinity websites round Dublin comparable to St. James’ Hospital, Trinity Hall, and Iveagh Sports Grounds.

Proposed new biking and strolling routes embrace 1.75km of latest cycle tracks and improved pedestrian services from Grand Canal to Lincoln Plaza, which is predicted to progress post-2028.

In an interview with The University Times, Sustainable Travel Officer, Claire Byrne, mentioned; “We’re working very closely with Dublin City Council and NTA [National Transport Authority] to make sure that key routes are delivered as quickly as possible.”

In addition to emphasising the significance of advocacy and collaboration with Dublin City Council (DCC) to enhance exterior infrastructure, Byrne highlighted inner wayfinding within the type of extra signage as one of many key areas within the plan.

She additionally expressed enthusiasm for the creation of a brand new Delivery Hub, which might centralise supply of products and companies on campus in an effort to cut back non-essential automobile visitors on Campus pathways.

The draft Travel Plan is funded by the NTA and was developed in partnership with Irish-owned DBFL Consulting Engineers. The workforce of Trinity Engineering graduates, together with Shauna Kelly, Aoife Gaughan, and Robert Kelly, have been engaged on the plan since April 2024.

Speaking to The University Times, Kelly and Gaughan emphasised the significance of lived expertise, calling for workers and college students to have interaction with the Campus Travel Plan.

Students could make their voices heard by filling out the feedback form. Responses shall be combed via within the following weeks and included within the ultimate Travel Plan to be unveiled throughout Trinity’s Climate and Biodiversity Action week, which runs from October thirteenth to seventeenth.

There shall be a Draft Campus Travel Plan showcase within the Arts Building on September thirtieth and October 1st from 11am-3pm, the place college students are inspired to be taught extra concerning the Travel Plan from Sustainable Travel Officer, Claire Byrne. The full draft Campus Travel Plan, together with a briefer government abstract, may be discovered on Trinity Sustainability’s website.

While the journey plan primarily focuses on native journey, Byrne informed The University Times that plans are within the works to scale back Trinity’s air-travel, which had doubled in spending post-pandemic.

According to a Freedom of Information request made by The University Times, Trinity’s whole expenditure on flights reached €1.4 million in 2024 – a rise of €100,000 from 2023, with essentially the most vital soar being from €677,040 in 2022 to €1.3 million in 2023.

When questioned on how Trinity would handle worldwide journey as effectively, Byrne mentioned that it was one thing she was wanting into, separate from the Campus Travel Plan.