Student athletes fined for solo travel to matches in sustainability drive

Bournemouth University athletes have revealed they’re being fined for travelling to matches in their own cars as opposed to team coaches in an attempt to be more sustainable.

Alex Ehoro, one of BU’s futsal performance team athletes, said players are being asked for a £5 charity donation if they commute to games on their own accord.

Ehoro, 20, said: “Our coaches have implemented a fining system where any player or member of staff who decides to travel to away games via their own car or transport has to put £5 into a jar which at the end of the season gets donated to The Parks Foundation, a local charity enhancing BCP’s green spaces.

“I think we currently have £15 in the pot as of now and who knows how much it will be by the end.”

Bournemouth University has already won plaudits for its sustainability work. It currently sits at third in the world and first in the UK for “decent work and economic growth”, a measure of sustainable financial progress, and sixth in the world and fourth in the UK for “responsible consumption and production”.

Robin Hughes, campus sport co-ordinator at SportsBU, the university’s performance sports team, said: “For away fixtures, we ensure all our teams travel together either via public transport or by minibus, in order to reduce fuel consumption and limit pollution, which in turn protects the environment.

“In the future electric vehicles would be ideal for us, which is solely a form of reusable energy however, it would cost a fortune.”

The drive to reduce the number of athletes travelling on their own to matches is part of a wider initiative to increase sustainability at the university.

Mr Hughes added: “Chapel Gate, one of our home grounds, is currently undergoing development with the addition of a new 4G astro pitch, that uses woodchips as opposed to black rubber as it is a natural resource and is more sustainable.

“It does however cost more, but it’s the price the university pays in order to remain sustainable.”

Mr Hughes said a bus service from the university to Chapel Gate has also been introduced to give students a direct form of transport to the venue, promoting the idea of travelling together and reducing fuel and engine emissions, in order to make Bournemouth University and Dorset a more sustainable, eco-friendly place.

For more information about Bournemouth University’s sustainability strategy go to https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/about/sustainability/.