‘My lecturer had to move our class online’: Warwick students hit by Leamington bus delays

Many students primarily use the buses to attend lectures and seminars, avoiding campus altogether on their days off. Even so, the current cost of a round trip amounts to £4, which is set to increase by 50 per cent in the new year – to £3 per journey. For a student commuting five days a week, this would amount to £20 per week or nearly £100 per month.

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In response, many students opt to purchase termly or yearly bus passes to reduce overall spending. The available options include a monthly pass (£48), a termly pass (£155), an academic year pass (£410), and a yearly pass (£500). Will, a third-year history student expressed his dissatisfaction, explaining that the rising price does not reflect the service. He told The Warwick Tab: “[Stagecoach] increased the year bus pass by £50 from last year and then delivered an even worse service 

While these passes offer savings compared to daily fares, they remain a considerable expense for students living on tight budgets. Our recent Instagram survey acutely demonstrated the discontent and frustration of Warwick students. George, a fourth year PPE student told us that he will be boycotting the Stagecoach bus pass as a result of the rising prices: “I will not be purchasing a Stagecoach bus pass next term. By continuing to buy into their service, we grant Stagecoach a free license to profit from a substandard service, despite their awareness of student demand and peak travel times.”

2. Delays and overcrowding

Beyond the rising costs, delays were a source of complaint in the results of our poll. Students complaints mentioned how buses have rarely adhered to the schedules displayed on the Stagecoach app, often several minutes late, or even cancelled, leaving students to arrive late for lectures and seminars.

Frequency was another frequent issue among students. For those living in North Leamington, buses often arrive at their stops already full. Some students have even decided to seek out alternative methods of transportation. Nickolas, a final year PAIS student, explained that he is no longer relying on public transport, instead choosing to drive to university. He told The Warwick Tab: “The buses are so bad this year, I’m bringing my car to uni next term instead of using the bus.”

 Queues at the University Interchange during peak hours have become a running joke among students, with some stopping to take photos of the scene.

When buses do arrive, there is often a scramble for seats or even standing space.

For the prices paid, many students feel the service is unacceptable. Helen, a second-year history and German student, told us that the delays have resulted in some of her learning being moved online: “I’ve been late to classes because of the buses and one of my lecturers had to move our class online because seven or eight people in the class physically couldn’t get to campus.”

Adding to the frustration among Warwick students are the frequent stops that add to travel times. Journeys that should take 30 minutes can extend to an hour. A third year English student shared her experience, explaining how she left her house at 8am to make a 9am seminar, only to arrive on campus at 9:25am, too late to attend. Ethan, a fourth year PAIS student, expressed his frustration with length of his commute: “[It] took an hour and a half to get to campus yesterday, over £400 a year for [the bus pass], this is a joke.”

A spokesperson for Stagecoach said: “There are occasionally journeys that are either delayed or need to be cancelled at short notice, for which we apologise. We do our utmost to ensure that buses turn up when they should and are sorry when this doesn’t happen.

“Passengers should have confidence in bus services in the region with over 98 per cent of Stagecoach journeys running across the Midlands, and we continually strive to improve that further.

“Our UniRider passes provide exceptional value with travel costing from just £1.30 a day, offering students at Warwick University a really low-cost travel option.

“Students will also be benefiting from new electric buses as part of the Coventry all electric city scheme. These will provide smoother, quieter journeys as well as top-spec amenities including: USB charging, free Wi-Fi, high-spec passenger information systems and enhanced wheelchair and buggy space.”