Transport & Parking
- Bicycles
Cambridge is a compact city and cycling is certainly the best way to get around. All bicycles must be registered at the Porters' Lodge; the Porters will ask you to mark your bike with a number. Bicycle racks are provided around the perimeter of the College and bicycles left there should always be locked. Students are asked not to park their bicycles in the designated areas for visitors adjacent to the flagpole, nor the shed reserved for staff cycles. If you do, you may find your bicycle is removed.
There is a sheltered bicycle repair area with tools and a tyre pump behind S block.
For safety reasons cycles, scooters, hoverboards, powerboards etc. are not allowed in the Front, East or West Courts, and must not be ridden or left in any of the other courts.
- Cars
The University does not allow students to have cars in Cambridge. Parking is not available in University Departments or Colleges, including Wolfson, unless there is an attested medical condition, exceptional work requirements, or special compassionate grounds. Parking permission must be sought from your Tutor on a form (downloadable below).
Students who are in residence in term or in the Long Vacation period of residence are required to have a University Motor Licence if they wish to keep motor vehicles (other than mopeds) within ten miles of Great St Mary's Church. Only students who have MA status or who are members of the Senate do not currently require a licence. If you are given permission to keep a car at Wolfson, you will also be provided with a Motor Proctor's form, which you must provide to the Motor Proctor's office when you apply online for a Motor Licence.
Your Wolfson parking permit will only be issued by the Head Porter on presentation of both the Wolfson form and the Motor Proctor's Licence (if required).
Visitors may park in the main College car park for brief periods.
Fellows, Senior Members and Staff should apply for a permit annually from the Porters' Lodge.
- Zipcar
The car park is also home to a Zipcar (formerly Streetcar), which you can use on a pay-as-you-go basis. As part of the partnership between Wolfson College and Zipcar all students are eligible for discounted membership. Follow the link to join as a Cambridge University student - it is free to join and the annual fee is half price. By providing this alternative to traditional car ownership we hope to encourage more sustainable behaviour and provide a useful service.
Zipcar is the self-service pay-as-you-go car, with numerous locations in Cambridge and other UK cities. After becoming a member of the club, you can reserve any Zipcar, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, over the phone, internet or by mobile app. Once you have made your booking, simply wander up to the car, swipe your smartcard, enter your pin and drive away.
When you are done, return the Zipcar to its bay, swipe your smartcard again to lock it and walk away. Usage is charged in 30 minute units. You can book a car for as little as half an hour up to 3 months ahead. You don't need to worry about tax, insurance, fuel, parking or depreciation either as this is all included in the price.
- Emergency Taxi Scheme
If any student feels they have a need for the emergency use of a taxi, they should contact the Porters’ Lodge and ask the on-duty Porter to order a taxi. The Porter will then request a means of identification from the student (see below). Once identification is confirmed, the taxi will be ordered. We will keep a record of such authorisations so that these may be checked against the taxi company’s invoices, which are submitted on a monthly basis. Once invoices are confirmed, monies owed will be charged to the respective student’s College account.
Means of identification will be as follows:
If requesting a taxi from another College Porters’ Lodge, the student must ask the Porter to telephone Wolfson College and then provide the Porter with a means of identification (e.g. University card) in order for their identification to be verified. If the student is neither carrying identification nor telephoning from another College/University, then the Wolfson Porter will seek identification over the phone by asking the student to give their CRS-ID and accommodation address so it can be cross-referenced with Porters’ Lodge documentation. Once confirmed, the taxi will be ordered.
Any misuse of the scheme will be rigorously investigated and could result in its withdrawal for all.