Letters

Send your letters to acting editor of the Reporter, David Pickering. Email the.reporter@leeds.ac.uk or send by internal post to press office, 12.67 E C Stoner building.

All letters will be considered for publication. We will not as a rule publish 'round robin' letters, letters that have been published elsewhere or letters that have also been sent to University colleagues for action. Letters may be cut (for space) and we will indicate where this has happened. If writers have asked questions, we will attempt to answer them. If they assert things we know to be untrue, we may add an editor’s note.

THE PROBLEM WITH PRINTED MATTER
(From Ian Akeroyd, Residential and Commercial Services)

Further to letter from Will Crocombe - Recycling your Reporter - Issue 517.

Surely the question should be "why do we produce the Reporter, the Learning and Teaching Bulletin, the Events leaflet, the WUN Report - and numerous other reports and information throughout the year - in hard copy?"

How much does this cost the University per annum (and ultimately us), how many trees are accounted for in these publications? In this day and age with almost everyone having web access all such publications should be cascaded by way of the web - indeed the Reporter is already available online. And if someone argues that some people do not have access - then surely it would be cheaper for departments to provide a single Access Point for those employees without direct access?

Acting Head of Communications David Pickering replies: The way we distribute the Reporter - and other internal newsletters - will be reviewed later this year. We'll be looking at how people would like to receive information and how we can organise distribution to give readers a choice of print or electronic newsletters. Last year's Reporter survey found 65% of respondents wanted to continue to receive a printed newsletter with only 15% preferring an electronic version.

PARKING
(from Helen Gibson, Estate Services)

Last year as part of the University Green Transport Plan, staggered parking permit charges were introduced to encourage people to use more environmentally friendly vehicles. I am wondering why this practice has not been carried through to the daily parkers? As with over 600 'visitors' a day, surely the Green plan could be rolled out to affect more people and cut down on emissions? It would be relatively easy to monitor at the gate as tax disc prices are on the tax disc itself and I am sure most staff could be trusted to pay the correct amount.

In relation to this, has the possibility of a prepay (Oyster type card) been considered for daily parkers? This would speed up the process of entry to campus and eliminate the traffic queue both up and down Woodhouse Lane. Is it even possible to use our staff ID badges for this purpose to cut down on any fraudulent use? I know it would be a lot easier for me to put money on the card at the start of each month, rather than having to rummage around for change every day!

Head of Security Steve Exley replies: Although charging for parking according to the rate of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) may reward more fuel-efficient vehicles, this has to be weighed against the administrative burden of checking the appropriate rates for each vehicle which would inevitably create additional delays. It is also important for the car park to be self-financing, which would be more difficult if variable day rates were to be introduced. The income generated is vital to fund the 'green' initiatives in the Transport Plan that we're committed to.

A pre-pay card would be unworkable because there aren't always enough places for all those who want to park on any given day. Entry needs to be monitored on an individual basis, particularly when there's a special event at the University where spaces need to be set aside.

Parking is always an emotive subject and where we are trying to fit a quart into a pint pot it will always be a compromise. The staff involved work very hard to provide a professional service and maintain access to the campus for those who have a genuine need to park. A great deal of bogus parking has been stopped and progress is made daily to address the remaining difficulties related to parking. The task is on-going.