University and Union secure bus improvements

Significant improvements to the Number 12 bus service are to be introduced in an attempt to resolve various problems such as overcrowding from March 27.

The changes include a revised timetable for peak times during the week and on Sundays. During term time, there will be five additional buses which shall be put in place from Monday to Friday between 8.00pm and 9.30pm. These extra buses will run from either, Pool Meadow Bus Station, Railway Bridge or City Arms, Earlsdon.

The University has said that the changes will supply another 350 seats everyday for people who are travelling to campus on weekday mornings. They also claim that these modifications should improve the service considerably.

These improvements are the result of the persistence of the University’s transport manager, Graham Hine and the Students’ Union President, Daniel Stevens who have both been campaigning for the changes since the start of the Autumn Term.

The University assure that they are well aware that all sections of the University’s community including students, staff, academics and visitors encounter a variety of problems with the service, particularly at peak times of travel. They have been in communication with Travel Coventry and Coventry City Council and also liaising with Centro, the transport organisation which promotes public transport across the West Midlands.

Students’ opinions on the issue are varied. Gurpreet Bharya, a first-year English Literature student said: “I find the service quite good actually. I have never really
experienced any problems with it”.

On the other hand, Joanne Taylor, another first-year English Literature student stated that: “The bus service can sometimes be a problem… I once missed my train as the bus did not come on time”.

Sakhee Ganatra, a first-year History and Politics student told the _Boar_ that she feels “the proposed changes to the service should make a considerable improvement. However, in the future perhaps another changes could be introduced, for example, buses could be made more frequent during the afternoon and evening, so that students trying to get home do not have to wait so long.”

Daniel Stevens commented that: “these changes are completely necessary as problems with the bus services are one of the biggest complaints”. He also expressed his wish for further improvements and stated that he hopes “this will be the start of additional improvements to the number 12 and U1 bus services”.

Furthermore, Travel Coventry will be auditing the service and they are prepared to consider further improvements if they are felt to be necessary. Travel Coventry intend to use the No. 12 service as a “role model” for Coventry and aim to upgrade not only the service itself, but the quality of the buses that are in operation. There are also future plans to improve the training that bus drivers who are employed for this service undergo.