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.
- Parking
The University does not allow students to have cars in Cambridge. Parking is not available in University Departments or Colleges, including Wolfson, unless they meet the required criteria. In line with University policy, car parking permits will only be issued by the Deputy Senior Tutor to those who meet the required criteria. Please note that this policy has been updated in August 2024. To apply for a parking permit, please complete the car parking application form and return it to the Tutorial Office in Bredon House.
Your Wolfson parking permit will only be issued by the Head Porter on agreement by the Deputy Senior Tutor after receiving your application.
All visitors and students without a parking permit must report to the Porters Lodge to request permission to park.
The Head Porter will contact all staff on an annual basis regarding applications for a parking permit. Fellows and Senior Members will be contacted on an annual basis by the Domestic Bursar regarding their applications and parking permits.
- Emergency Taxi Scheme
If any student feels they have a need for the emergency use of a taxi (for example, going to Accident & Emergency, they should contact the Porters’ Lodge and ask the on-duty Porter to order a taxi. The Porter will record any information provided by the student that will be forwarded to the College Welfare Team to provide ongoing welfare support to the student.
If requesting a taxi from another College Porters’ Lodge, the student must ask the Porter to telephone Wolfson College to notify us of the situation.
Any misuse of the scheme will be rigorously investigated and could result in its withdrawal for all. Furthermore, any misuse of the scheme can result in the student being credited/charged to their college account for the cost of the taxi booking(s).
- Student taxi bookings
Student taxis are available for ongoing medical issues to enable transport to and from departments or educational events related to your studies. The college could also pay at its discretion for travel to and from medical appointments. Furthermore, the college will also consider taxi booking requests for any other extenuating circumstances (for example, religious purposes, etc) which will be considered on a case-by-case basis. For further information and any enquiries please contact James Wood.
Students should firstly speak to their tutor and seek approval for the taxi bookings before submitting the Taxi Booking Request form. The request will then be reviewed by the Deputy Senior Tutor (Tania Davies) for final approval.
Your application’s supporting medical evidence will need to be checked by either your Tutor, the College Nurse, or the Student Wellbeing Advisor. You will need to request an email to demonstrate that your evidence has been viewed and approved. Your application will also require an email from your Tutor approving the taxi booking. This email must include approval of the timeframe and number of journeys per a week. Both pieces of evidence must be submitted to James Wood in PDF format.
Once your application has been approved all taxi bookings need to be requested via the Porters' Lodge who will book the taxi on your behalf.
Student taxis are not able to be utilised for personal errands or social purposes. Taxis used for personal errands or social purposes will be credited/charged to the student's college account. Students should book their own taxis for personal errands or social purposes and should not be asking the Porters' Lodge Staff to book taxis on their behalf.
Safer Cycling
- Cycling on College grounds
All bicycles must be marked with a College registration number assigned at the Porters' Lodge.
Racks are provided around the perimeter of the College and bicycles left there should always be locked. There is a designated area outside the front gate for visitors to park their bicycles and one of the bicycle sheds is reserved for staff bicycles. Students are asked not to park their bicycles in these spaces. If you do, you may find your bicycle is removed.
For students with particularly valuable bicycles, please consult the Porters, as there is limited secure storage available with the College.
For safety reasons bicycles are not allowed in the Front, East or West Courts, and must not be ridden or left in any of the other courts.
Bicycles, including electronic and folding models, are not permitted to be stored in your room, nor can you charge any electronic components or bicycle batteries within College buildings.
- Cycle Safely
Know the law. The Highway Code is available in the College library and online.
Take a practical training session. The University is offering free group and 1-to-1 Cycle Skills sessions for students.
Go on green. Do not cycle through red traffic lights.
Keep to your lane. Do not cycle on the pavement, unless it is a cycle path.
Stay sober. Do not cycle on the road if you are drunk.
Light up. You must have lights on your bicycle when cycling at night and in low visibility conditions.
Stay aware. Be aware of your surroundings, watch the road for uneven surfaces, pot holes, and other hazards.
Share the road. Look out — and listen — for other traffic, particularly buses and large vehicles. Look out for tourists and other pedestrians walking into the road without looking.
- Be weather wise
Watch the wind. Cross-winds may blow you in unexpected directions. Don’t ride too close to gutters and kerbs and be aware of traffic overtaking you.
Be ready for rain. Roads can become slippery after rain, particularly if covered with autumn leaf-fall. Take care riding through puddles, the hole may be deeper than you expect! Begin braking earlier in wet conditions as braking distance increases on wet roads and your bike’s brakes may be less effective when wet.
Snow sense. Be very careful riding on icy roads. Ice can be difficult to see in advance. Quiet roads, like Selwyn Gardens Road at the back of the College, can be very slippery in freezing conditions.
- Cycle clothing
Stand out. It is recommended that cyclists wear high-vis reflective clothing to make sure you can be seen by other road users. Bike stores stock a range of clothing and accessories:
- Reflective ankle and wrist bands are a cheap option and easy to carry.
- Reflective fluorescent (and waterproof!) rucksack covers keep your possessions dry as well as making you visible.
- Reflective fluorescent vests can be put on over your regular clothing.
- A fully reflective jacket might be a good investment if you'll often be riding in the dark.
Help your head. Cycle helmets are not compulsory in the UK, but can offer added protection in the event of a fall. There are many different styles, designs and price ranges.
- Light up
Be bright. It is a legal requirement that you must have lights on your bike when cycling after dark. Winters in Cambridge are dark, with dusk setting in as early as 16.00. Even with street lighting it can be difficult for drivers to see cyclists. To comply with the law you need a red light at the rear of your bike and a white light at the front. The lights must be located between 35cm and 150cm from the ground.
Feeling foggy? It can be useful to use your lights in low visibility conditions (on foggy mornings) and also at the times of dawn and dusk when the sun is low and glare may prevent other road users from seeing you.
- Buying a bike
There many bicycle shops in Cambridge where you can purchase both new and second-hand bicycles. Some other options are to purchase one from another student or to obtain one from the Owl charity, which renovates donated bicycles and sells them for charity.
- Security
Bike theft is the single most common crime affecting students in Cambridge. We recommend several security measures to protect your bike:
- Bikes kept on site for more than 24 hours must be registered with the Porters’ Lodge.
- The College provides a basic insurance policy for all residential students living in college, which includes theft of bicycles from their term time address.
- Lock it or lose it! Lock both wheels and the frame to a bike stand using a high quality lock, or use two locks.
- Advice on locking your bike from Cycling UK.
- Advice on purchasing a bike lock from The Best Bike Lock, Cycling Weekly, The Wirecutter and the Independent.
- Maintenance
Fix it yourself. There is a sheltered bicycle repair area with tools and a tyre pump behind S block. The Porters have a limited range of tools and another wheel pump should these not be sufficient.
The University also has a number of bicycle repair areas around town.
- E-Scooters
E-Scooters are not permitted to be ridden on College property at any time, whether by a Wolfson College member or a guest.
E-Scooters are only permitted onto Wolfson College property to be stored in the cycle racks, they are not permitted into any buildings, either to be ridden or stored, and cannot be charged on Wolfson College property.