Green bike scheme for St Andrews staff
An electric bike scheme for staff has been launched at the University of St Andrews to make travelling more environmentally friendly.
Developed with support from SEStrans, the regional transport partnership, the Go E-Bike project offers staff round the clock access to a fleet of e-bikes which can be unlocked using a mobile phone application.
The bikes can then be used for up to 24 hours for free to make journeys within work and for commuting, with more than 70 members of staff already being trained on how to use the bikes.
Professor Tom Brown, Dean of Science at the University, officially launched the project with the opening of the new College Gate Go E-Bike station, and was one of the first to use the bikes to move around the town.
Professor Brown said: “The University is currently looking at different methods of supporting flexible and efficient travel for staff between St Andrews and the new Eden Campus.
“The Go E-Bike scheme demonstrates that cycling, especially using an e-bike, is a realistic and fast way to make this trip and we have good take-up from staff wanting to try them out.”
The University is opening the new Eden Campus at Guardbridge towards the end of 2019 and it is hoped the new scheme will enable more staff to travel there by bike.
E-bikes will be available from five stations across St Andrews allowing bikes to be easily collected and returned when required. In addition, a Cargo Bike will be added to the fleet in April, allowing small loads to be transported across the campus.
Pictured with the e-bikes are (left to right): Dr Maarten Zwart (School of Psychology & Neuroscience), Professor Bill Austin (School of Geography & Sustainable Development), David Stutchfield (Environment Manager), Julie Vinders (Sestrans), Dr Richard Malham (Research & Innovation Services), Peter Jackson (Sestrans), Keith Fisken (Sestrans) and Alistair Macleod (Transition University of St Andrews).
Issued by the University of St Andrews Communications Office.