Active Travel

At Swansea University, we recognise the importance of active travel and support the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 by promoting walking, wheeling and cycling to campus.

For those living close enough, it makes good sense to walk to campus. Depending on which part of Swansea you’re living in, there are some stunning walking routes into campus and there’s no better way to get your daily steps in. Walking is a fantastic form of gentle exercise, it’s great for your physical and mental wellbeing and it won’t cost you a penny. And when you’re not studying, you should try making your other local journeys on foot too. The Transport for Wales website offers useful information about the benefits of Active Travel.

We are a Gold Standard Cycle Friendly Employer and we work closely with local partners, including Swansea Council, to make cycling around Swansea safe, convenient and affordable for our students and staff. We have a range of cycling amenities and activities on campus.

Find everything you need to know about Active Travel in Swansea below:

Swansea University Cycles - Student Memberships for just £10 a year

If you don’t have your own bike, you can hire one of our Swansea University Cycles.

There are hubs located at:

Singleton Campus
Bay Campus
Fabian Way Park & Ride
Knab Rock at the Mumbles
Oystermouth at the Mumbles
True Student Accomodation
Swansea City Bus Station

Where Can I Go?

You can go anywhere you like – it's up to you! The bikes really are a great way of getting around and exploring Swansea. Maybe you'd like to take in the sights of Mumbles, or enjoy a gentle ride along Swansea promenade? If you're looking for some ride inspiration, have a look at this handy electronic cycle route map.

Just make sure you return your Swansea University Cycle to an official docking station when you’re done, and press the frame lock lever down to lock the bike. If you return your bike away from a station, a service fee will be charged.

How to Sign Up...

If you haven’t already registered for the scheme, just follow these simple steps:

Download the latest version of the nextbike app to register and have access to the newest features (available on iOS and Android). Don’t forget to accept the Ts&Cs.
Once registered, select ‘Activate Account’.
Complete the ‘Profile Fields’. Remember to register with your @swansea.ac.uk email address.
Select ‘Unlock Options’ and enter your payment details. A £5 deposit is required to verify your information and will become a credit on your account. Note: Prepaid cards are NOT accepted. For more information, please refer to nextbike T&Cs or email info@nextbike.co.uk.
Verify your account by clicking on the link sent to you via email.

Note: To redeem your subscription, you must be registered with your @swansea.ac.uk email address. Membership rates apply to the first bike you hire. All additional rentals will be charged at the standard Pay As You Ride rate. By renting for more than 24 hours, you will be charged for the whole next day.

If you’re registered with a personal email address (other than @swansea.ac.uk):

If you registered using your own personal email address, the system will not recognise you as a student or staff member at Swansea University. You’ll need to change your email to your @swansea.ac.uk email address in the app. You’ll receive an email from nextbike asking you to verify your email. Once you’ve done that your subscription will be applied.

Did you know...

That you could benefit from a CAMPUS Bike annual membership as a staff or student that costs just £10 and means the first 30 minutes of every ride is free, with each 20 minutes thereafter costing just 50p!

Where Can I Find Out More?

You can find out everything you need to know about registering for Swansea University Cycles, including information on how to find, rent, park and return the bikes over on the scheme website.

If you have any queries, nextbike’s customer service team can help: info@nextbike.co.uk

Phone: 029 2248 3716.

Cycle Routes

Cycling to, from and between our campuses is convenient and easy and great for physical and mental wellbeing.

The red cycle route links our two campuses, with an estimated cycle time of 27 minutes from campus to campus. Check out the Swansea Cycle Map below:

Swansea Cycle Map

The links below provide lots more information about where you can cycle (and walk) in and around Swansea:

Swansea Bayways

In line with the Welsh Government’s Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013, Swansea Council has committed to providing and promoting active travel routes across the City and County of Swansea. This means that more of us can easily and safely commute by foot and bicycle.

Swansea Council has been investing in the Swansea Bayways Walk Cycle Network with over 118km of high quality walking and cycling routes and infrastructure. More routes are being added all the time to allow more and more people to get involved!

We hope to inspire you to give the new network a try for your short, everyday journeys. Perhaps walking or cycling will soon become your preferred way of getting to work and getting around – even if it’s just a few times a week, together we can make a huge difference!

Find out more about the Swansea Bayways walk and cycle network here.

Pedestrian Friendly Campus

Our campuses are well connected to public pedestrian access ways and provide links though to neighbouring parks, beaches and nature areas such as Crymlyn Burrows and Singleton Park. Large proportions of our campuses are pedestrianised, with the “Mall” at the heart of Singleton Campus, linking east to west, and the indoor and outdoor pedestrian streets of the Bay Campus linking our academic buildings with residential areas and recreational spaces. We are surrounded by green spaces, wooded areas, botanic gardens, meadows and picnic areas on lawns or in the dunes; and encourage our campus communities to roam and take time out in nature.

Active travel is a core part of our strategy for sustainable travel. Our campuses also have dropped kerbs, crossings and easy access to all buildings for pedestrians.

We were the first organisation in Wales to gain the Cycle Friendly Employer Accreditation at the highest level of Gold. This includes providing access to showers and drying facilities for cyclists and pedestrians. We are a founding member and signatory of the Swansea Bay Healthy Travel Charter.

View a map of Singleton Campus pedestrian friendly areas.

View a map of Bay Campus pedestrian friendly areas.

E-Scooters

Only e-scooters that are part of the UK Government e-scooter trials can be ridden legally on roads, cycle paths, and pavements. For further information go to: E-scooter trials: guidance for users - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

There are currently no trial areas in Wales, therefore it remains illegal to ride e-scooters in any public area within Wales including, roads, cycle paths or pavements. To ride e-scooters on private land the permission of the landowner has to be given.

Swansea University does not allow the use of e-scooters on any of its sites.