Sustrans, the charity making it easier for people to walk and cycle, will be returning to Penryn campus to provide free bike safety checks and tune-ups, as well as free bike security marking.
Whether you have a bike or not, you can still pop along to say hello! There will also be active travel information and resources available about local walking, cycling and public transport routes.
Their stall will be located outside the Stannary on Thursday 18th and 25th of September and 2nd October and 9th of October from 10:00am to 16:00pm. It is open to all students, staff and visitors.
The recent launch of the Transport for Cornwall app 2024/25 and set pricing by Cornwall Council has resulted in a number of changes to the ticket bundles available for students and staff for the 2025/26 academic year.
Transport for Cornwall’s new pricing structure is based on age and is available for anyone county-wide. The new pricing structure means that any bundles bought are interoperable – meaning you can use the same bundle on any bus operator (First Bus, Go Cornwall Bus, Stagecoach, OTS & Hopley’s).
You can buy day tickets and weekly bundles for unlimited travel either across all of Cornwall or within specific town zones, like Penryn to Falmouth, or you can use the Tap & Cap method. The most cost effective option for you will depend on your age and frequency of travel to and from campus, and across Cornwall. Please ensure you do your own research prior to making any purchase.
Please be aware that the Tap & Cap method is not suitable if you need under 19s fares, as the system is unable to distinguish between age and will charge the adult price. To get the best available daily fare you will need to use the same payment method that day. If you use other contactless cards or payment methods, your transactions will not be linked.
This is the case even if the payments come from the same account – for example, your phone’s Apple Pay will register as a separate payment method from your watch’s Apple Pay, even if they link to the same bank account. Refer to the Tap & Cap FAQs.
The current bundles available to purchase via the app are*:
For anyone aged between 19-25, an unlimited 7-day bundle will cost £20 for All of Cornwall, a day pass will cost £5. Please be aware there is no ‘Town Zone Ticket’ option available for this age group.
* All the deals and bundles featured in this article were available at the time of writing it, in September 2025, but may be subject to change. Please ensure you do your own research prior to making any purchase.
As the use of E-Bikes by staff and students increases and to avoid the risk of fire associated with their lithium batteries, four E-Bike charging stands have been installed at Glasney Village, Penryn Campus.
Lithium battery fires, although rare, can be catastrophic. FX Plus and its partner Universities fully support and actively encourage the use of E-Bikes by staff, students, and visitors anywhere on campus, but the following must be observed to reduce the risks of fire to any of the buildings.
E-Bikes and Detachable Batteries Prohibited in Buildings
Due to the associated fire risks, E-Bikes and their detachable batteries must not be taken into any campus buildings, especially accommodation blocks.
Parking and Storage of E-Bikes on Campus
All electric bikes must be parked within the designated bike racks provided around our campuses. These areas are positioned an appropriate distance away from our buildings. Under no circumstances may an electric bike be parked where they are liable to cause obstruction or danger, be attached to fences, railings, at entrances or by external escape routes of buildings.
E-Bike Charging on Campus
Penryn Campus
E-Bike battery charging facilities are now available at Penryn campus. They are located in Glasney Village, outside Glasney View block E, in the bike store. They are accessed by key which can be signed out at Glasney Lodge Reception with your University ID card. The battery can be placed in the locker to charge or remain attached to your bike while it is secured to the stand. The key must be returned within 12 hours otherwise a late charge of £25 will be applied as this prevents the locker being used by another person. If a key is lost, a charge to replace the lock and the keys will apply.
The E-Bike charging facilities at Penryn Campus are for the priority use of students living on campus. It is expected that members of staff will sufficiently charge their electric bikes so that they are able to cycle to and from campus.
Falmouth Campus
At this time, you are unable to charge your electric bike at Falmouth Campus. In line with our Green Travel Strategy, this is something we plan to change in the future. However, until there is resource available to increase the provision of E-Bike charging facilities, staff and students are politely asked to charge their E-Bikes at home. We appreciate this is frustrating and thank you for your patience whilst we continue to work on a solution.
Failure to Observe E-Bike, Battery and Storage Guidelines
E-Bikes must be managed appropriately – Where possible, any E-Bike owners in breach of the guidelines shall be asked in the first instance to comply. Any E-Bikes that are left in such a way as to cause or lead to an obstruction to any emergency exit, escape route or access point will be removed by Safety and Support Staff or any member of staff acting in their authority.
Responsibilities of E-Bike Ownership and Insurance
The owners of E-Bikes are responsible for ensuring that they maintain their bikes in a safe and road worthy manner. Please be aware that it is the responsibility of the E-Bike owner to have insurance to cover against any damage caused by a potential Lithium-Ion battery fire.
E-Bike Operators Beryl Bikes – Cornwall Campuses
Staff, students and visitors are encouraged to use the E-Bikes available via the Beryl Bike network. This is an affordable, fun, and sustainable way to get around Falmouth and Penryn. Beryl electric bikes must always be returned to the docking stations provided and should never be left in any other campus location. These locations are designated areas for safe charging, parking, and storage. In line with the guidance above, Beryl electric bikes must not be taken into any campus buildings, especially accommodation blocks. For safety, please ensure you wear a helmet when cycling.
E-Scooters Prohibited
Please note that FX Plus and its University Partners DO NOT permit the use, storage or charging of E-Scooters anywhere on the Cornwall campuses by staff, students, contractors, or visitors. Any such item found on the Cornwall Campuses will be removed by the Safety and Support Team, Health & Safety Team, Residencies Support Team or any member of staff acting on their authority.
The Green Flag flies over Penryn University campus after receiving the prestigious Green Flag Award for another year.
The campus, shared by Falmouth University and the University of Exeter, is one of 2,250 in the UK to achieve the award, which is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces. A total of just five locations in Cornwall have been recognised by the scheme.
This is the eighth consecutive year that the site has retained the esteemed accolade. Oliver Lane, Director of Campus Services, said: “Our green spaces are incredibly important to us, and we take great pride in the stewardship of the Tremough Estate, what is now the Penryn University Campus.
“Earning the Green Flag year after year is a true testament to the dedication and hard work of the FX Plus Grounds and Gardening team. They consistently showcase Penryn’s green spaces at their very best—for students, staff, and guests to enjoy. A heartfelt thank you to all who made this another successful year.”
Penryn University Campus covers 100 acres of countryside, combining historic sub-tropical gardens with new landscapes that are open to everyone. Visitors are able to explore the Walled Garden, a fruit-producing orchard, the Italianate Garden and Terraces, the 18th-century Lime Avenue, the old drive with its Pinetum and native woodlands, and historically rare rhododendrons cultivated on-site during the Victorian era. A more recent addition is the rare and historic Lucombe Oak, gifted by the University of Exeter’s Streatham Campus in 2017.
The grounds and gardens are managed with environmental sensitivity, enhancing natural habitats and boosting biodiversity on campus. Since January 2025, over 300 square metres of wildflower turf and 1,700 individual wildflower plugs have been planted—attracting a wide variety of pollinating insects and helping to support local wildlife.
Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd MBE, said: “Congratulations to everyone involved at Penryn University Campus who have worked tirelessly to ensure that it achieves the high standards required for the Green Flag Award.
“Quality parks and green spaces like those at Penryn campus make the country a heathier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest.
“Crucially, it is a vital green space for communities in Penryn to enjoy nature, and during the ongoing cost of living crisis it is a free and safe space for families to socialise. It also provides important opportunities for local people and visitors to reap the physical and mental health benefits of green space.”
The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.
Flix Bus have launched a new daily return bus service via Penryn Campus bus stop and ending at London Hammersmith bus station at a competitive price. The service also runs from London Hammersmith to Penryn Campus. The service is already running and you are able to book your coach tickets via the Flix Bus website.
To book, enter ‘Penryn’ and the date you wish to travel into the search toolbar (either for the start or end journey) at www.flixbus.co.uk. The option will appear as ‘Falmouth University’ – however this is the title for Penryn Campus.
The service running from Penryn Campus to London Hammersmith leaves campus at 06:00am and stops at: Truro bus station (6:20am), Plymouth bus station (08:05am), Exeter Stover Court-Bampfylde Street (9:20am), Taunton BP garage (10:10am), Bristol bus station (11:20am) and finally London Hammersmith (14:00pm).
The journey from London Hammersmith to Penryn Campus leaves at 16:00pm and stops at: Bristol bus station (19:15pm), Taunton BP garage (20:25pm), Exeter Stover Court-Bampfylde Street (21:15pm), Plymouth bus station (22:25pm), Truro bus station (00:10am) and Penryn Campus bus stop (00:35am).
Since January 2025, the Grounds and Garden team have installed over 300m2 of wildflower turf in numerous areas around Penryn campus. Many of these spaces are in bloom, attracting a variety of pollinating insects, supporting wildlife and boosting biodiversity on campus. Some of the spaces in flower to check out include:
An 80m long strip along the hedge between Reception and the Porters lodge.
Next to Peter Lanyon, where concentric circles of wildflowers have been planted amongst short mown turf with a mown circular space in the middle. This will, in time, have a tree in the centre with a circular bench around it.
Wildflower planting directly opposite the bus stops has more than doubled.
Areas by the main entrance roundabout and the corner near the wooden Information Building and barriers (as you drive onto campus), have all been expanded.
A section of dead box hedge between the School of Film and Television building and the Chapel Lecture Theatre, has been replaced with wildflowers.
A small patch of wildflowers has been introduced the other side of the Heart Reception, near the shop.
The team have also continued to plant potted wildflower plugs, which are grown on campus by our gardeners and introduced into the designated wildflower areas. Last year (Jan-Dec 2024) a total of 3,010 individual wildflower plugs were planted and this year (since Jan 2025) we have increased that number by 1,700 plants. This means we are on track to beat last years’ total by the end of the calendar year.
Across the Tremough Estate, over five acres of grassland is cut annually in a wildflower friendly way. This is means it is cut only once or twice a year, at the end of summer or autumn, so that wildflowers have time to flower and set seed. After cutting, all the cut material is gathered up and removed to prevent the build-up of nutrient levels in the soil.
This area size is a conservative estimate, and “actual figures are likely to be much larger than this. Some of these areas can be more long grass than wildflowers as our soil is quite nutrient rich. Hopefully managing the land in the right way and continuing planting, when possible, will increase wildflower diversity and abundance over time”, said Alasdair Garnett, Gardener at FX Plus.
In June (2025), we completed a project to replace an aging and inefficient waste compactor by installing two new compactors – one for general waste and one for Dry Mixed Recycling (DMR).
The additional compactor for DMR is a first for Penryn campus and the investment will help to generate significant cost savings and reduce the carbon footprint related to waste transport, as DMR collections will reduce from once a week to once every 4 or 5 weeks.
Lynn Storey, Head of Facilities Management, said:
“The new compactors are welcome additions to our waste compound facilities. The two machines will benefit our hard-working waste team and will also cut our waste carbon footprint, as well as deliver significant cost savings.”
If you have any questions or would like more information about Waste and Recycling on campus, please contact the Sustainability team on sustainability@fxplus.ac.uk.
A project to install additional solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on the roof of SOFT and replace the dated PVs on the DDM building will begin in July – August 2025. The aim of the project is to increase the efficiency of our PV systems and to generate more renewable energy for the Penryn Campus.
The existing PV panels were first installed in 2012, when the technology at the time was expected to generate clean energy over the next 12 years and was chosen as a greener alternative to reduce carbon emissions, rather than a way of achieving any significant financial savings.
However, 13 years later and the advance in technology means that it is time to invest in upgrading to the latest PV panels to increase efficiencies and generate far greater cost savings.
Fergus Chan, Carbon & Energy Manager at FX Plus, said:
“I find joy in seeing how far technology has come since 2012 when the current PVs were first installed. In their day they were cutting edge, but today’s PV panels can achieve much more for us.”
It is estimated that the new PVs will generate approximately 193 MWh annually, which amounts to over 40 tCO2e carbon saving.
If you have any questions about this project or would like more information about decarbonisation on campus, please contact the Sustainability team on sustainability@fxplus.ac.uk.
Glasney Village, a significant carbon emitter, is the focus of an Eco-Block Pilot Project, starting with Glasney Parc Block A.
As part of our combined efforts to decarbonise campus, the pilot project, which is the first of its kind, sets out to explore the feasibility of implementing a district heating system using air source heat pumps, which in the future could see us move away from using natural gas to heat student residences.
Other green technologies such as Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels and a Building Management System with Automatic Monitoring and Targeting will also be incorporated to generate energy and improve energy efficiency of the accommodation blocks.
Initially, the pilot project will begin this summer (July-August 2025) with Glasney Parc Block A as we start to replace gas boilers and install a standalone air source heat pump and PVs onto the roof of the building.
The project is supported by the Salix Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, an initiative funded by the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, which provides grants to public sector organisations to implement energy saving and carbon reducing technologies in their buildings. This initial phase (Glasney Park Block A) of the project has been awarded a £55k grant towards the £114k total project cost.
In the future, it is hoped that more air source heat pumps could be installed and connected across numerous residence blocks at Glasney Village, to realise the efficiencies and carbon savings associated with a district heating system.
Other plans to continue to improve the fabric of our buildings, such as improved insulation, windows and doors, as well as LED lighting upgrades, would also improve the energy efficiency of the buildings and help us achieve even greater carbon savings. If you have any questions about this project or would like more information about decarbonisation on campus, please contact the Sustainability team on sustainability@fxplus.ac.uk.
Decarbonisation efforts continue on campus as we progress to explore and implement new ways to heat our buildings, by moving away from natural gas and transitioning to greener alternatives.
In May (2025), a major milestone has been reached with the completion of the SERSF and Stella Turk Replacement Boiler Project. Five gas boilers have now been replaced with four air source heat pumps.
We are pleased to report that the new heating system is now fully operational. The hot water and the heating (in the months that we need it) in SERSF and Stella Turk, is supplied by the heat pump system which has been successfully installed onto the roof of the SERSF building.
The complex operation to install the system involved lifting the heat pumps into place by crane, fixing them to the roof with a base bracket and laying new pipework and connections for the two buildings. The project is a direct result of feasibility studies carried out in 2021 by WSP, which identified moving away from gas heating as one of the key areas to help the Universities of Exeter and Falmouth achieve their ambitious net-zero decarbonisation targets by 2040.
A conservative estimate predicts that the system will deliver annual savings of over 102 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. However, it is likely to be more than this due to the potential efficiency gains and changes we have made in replacing the heating system, which could further improve performance.
The Replacement Boiler Project is the first in a series of other significant decarbonisation projects taking place on campus, as we strive to innovate and adopt new technologies to help the Universities reach our shared sustainability goals.
Other ongoing projects include the LED Lighting System Upgrades, a Pilot Eco-Block Project at Glasney Park Block A (the first of its kind), the continued replacement of dated Solar Photovoltaic panels and an expansion of the Electric Vehicle charging facilities on campus.
If you have any questions or would like more information about decarbonisation on campus, please contact the Sustainability team on sustainability@fxplus.ac.uk.
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