The Campus Cycle Hub is now open seven days per week, 8-5pm, to further encourage cycling as the preferred method of getting to the site. Approximately 25% of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) staff coming to site now regularly cycle and there are over 2,200 cycle parking spaces available (many with the added benefit of secure staff access) – with plans to carry on increasing this capacity in 2023 and beyond.
CUH has a core objective to support cycling as part of its plans to reduce carbon emissions. In addition to increasing bicycle parking capacity and providing on-site repairs, it is also working with the city’s cycle-share programme, and has a very popular money-saving salary sacrifice scheme for new purchases. Liaising across the Campus, the Trust and its partners have been working together to improve access for cyclists getting to, from and around the site.
The Trust’s future travel and transport plans also include electrifying its vehicles and supporting improvements to public transport.
The Campus Cycle Hub opened in 2010 and provides a range of services including bike repair, maintenance, accessories, rentals and sales. The operation was taken over by local sustainable transport company Cambridge Electric Transport in 2018 and the team is led by CEO Sean Moroney and mechanics Edvins Press and Sam Peck.
Supporting sustainable travel and transport is just one of the ways that CUH is lowering its environmental impact. The Trust launched its Action 50 Green Plan in April 2022, setting out how it will save more than two thousand tonnes from our direct carbon emissions over the next three years and become a net-zero organisation by 2045.
The actions include upgrades to physical infrastructure, prioritising life-cycle assessed purchasing and helping all staff, patients and visitors to actively contribute.
The plan builds on the significant progress already made in addressing the climate emergency, and responds to the ‘Net Zero NHS’ plan published in 2020.
Richard Hales, Energy and Sustainability Manager at Cambridge University Hospitals, said,
“I’m delighted that the Campus Cycle Hub has extended its opening hours. Travel and transport is a major contributor to CUH’s emissions and constitutes a large share of our overall carbon footprint. Cycling is a sustainable mode of transport and Cambridge is proud of its strong cycling culture. We’re committed to working to encourage as many colleagues as possible to cycle to work, and beyond this we are evaluating every mile that has to be travelled to and from our premises, including our patients and partners, so that we are minimising carbon emissions and working towards our ambition to be a net-zero organisation by 2045.’
Sean Moroney, CEO at Cambridge Electric Transport, said:
“We are really pleased to be extending our opening hours to support visitors and staff to cycle to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Sustainable, green transport is increasingly important for our city and communities as we fight against global warming and improve our quality of life. We’re here to offer a full range of cycling services to support this sustainability drive.”
The Campus Cycle Hub is located on Richard Howe Way on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, opposite the Deakin Centre. It is open to all – not only the patients, visitors and staff of CUH or the wider campus. The Hub’s opening hours are 8-5pm, seven days per week and you can contact the hub on 07414 113948.