Everything you need to know about the Women’s Bus

For many, the trip back from a long day in the library or trip to West Street is in a taxi or walk home. However, the recent incident of sexual assault in Weston Park has caused a feeling of unease among female students, leading us to consider which is the safest way of getting home when we’re alone.

The Women’s minibus is a scheme set up by Sheffield Students’ Union to ensure female students get home safely. It runs seven nights a week during term time, offering a ride straight to your front door from as little as £1. Here’s what you need to know:

Where

The bus stops off outside Weston Bank Library, the IC and the Students’ Union every night at a designated bus stop. They offer to drop you at your door, provided it is within 2 miles of the SU.

You can get dropped off anywhere within 2 miles of the SU

When

Buses run every night during term time, beginning at 7.30 PM and offering later services on club nights. Currently, the service runs every hour, from 7.30 PM to 12.30 AM on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday. It runs till 1.30 AM on a Thursday and 3.30 AM on Fridays and Saturdays.

the Women’s Bus timetable

How much

For a door-to-door service, the cost of a ticket is very cheap. The price of a single is £1.50, which rivals even the cheapest taxi fares in Sheffield.

The Union also offer a bundle ticket deal where you can purchase 10 tickets for £10, meaning your fare is even cheaper per journey.

Getting a ticket

Before midnight, tickets are available to purchase from the Box Office in the Students’ Union. However, you can also purchase a ticket from the bus driver when you get on board.

Women’s Officer Serena Cavasin said: “It would be great to raise awareness. I believe we’ve seen an increase in usage from past years but still few use it from the libraries”.

Any female student knows the injustice of having to carefully plan their route home when their male housemates can freely walk home alone at night, however the service provided by the SU makes getting home alone affordable and extremely safe. If recent events are anything to go by, it is definitely worth being in the know about how best to get home safely.