Three-quarters of Leamington students missing lectures due to bus delays

Over half of Warwick students report bus delays and cancellations have a negative impact on their attendance, an investigation by The Boar has revealed, with the number rising to over 3/4 among Leamington residents.

Students at Warwick typically rely on Stagecoach’s U1 and U2 services, running between the University and Leamington Spa, to commute to campus, as well as the 11 and 12X from Coventry, run by National Express. For many students living in the local area, using these buses is often the only feasible option for them to be able to attend classes.

Indeed, even the University’s own environmental targets seek to promote the use of “sustainable modes of transport”, including public transport, amongst staff and students. Reliable and affordable bus services should then, at least in principle, be a priority.

I have been late to so many of my seminars because the U2 just never runs anymore in the morning

Ellie, third-year history student

Single bus journey fares are currently capped at £2, but this is set to rise 50% to £3 in the new year. This increase has proved controversial, nationally and at Warwick: over 3/4s of Leamington students indicated they would be less likely to take the bus when it comes into effect.

Just over half, 56%, of respondents stated they had purchased a bus pass for this year, so are unlikely to be directly affected by this increased cap, but nonetheless, it is set to dent the budgets of many students at Warwick. For Janvi, a third-year economics student, the prospect of a £6 round trip was especially discouraging: “I’ll only go in if necessary. If I have only one lecture which I can catch up on at home, I probably won’t go into uni.” Others living in Canley and Coventry also voiced an increased hesitancy towards travelling to Leamington Spa for social activities.

Overall, 2/3rds of respondents expressed significant or some disapproval of the quality and frequency of local bus services, with just 15% somewhat satisfied. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the most pertinent theme that emerged from student complaints was the impact of delays on attendance at lectures and seminars. Having described services as “unreliable”, “exceptionally busy”, and frequently cancelled, Warwick students, including three in every four Leamington Spa residents, face almost daily issues in travelling to and from campus on time. Ellie, a third-year history student, lamented: “I have been late to so many of my seminars because the U2 just never runs anymore in the morning.”

For some, problems with public transport have become so egregious that they avoid travelling to campus in the first place. Arthur, a second-year student, admitted they were “much more likely to skip lectures” due to bus-related issues, whilst another PAIS student shared similar feelings, confessing they “go to campus less to not have to deal with the bus”. Others also highlight missing compulsory ‘monitoring points’, classes throughout the term used to measure attendance by many departments. Abbie, an English literature student, recounted: “I was unable to attend my seminar since the bus got cancelled, and then the next one was full up.”

It’s just demoralising

Third-year student

Warwick Students’ Union’s (SU) Better Buses survey in 2023 reflected similar frustrations with local bus services. In particular, students complained of having to shell out hundreds of pounds for replacement bus passes after losing the original copies. Again, the SU survey confirmed student exasperation with the impracticality of commuting to campus; one respondent remarked: “The buses are too crammed, they need to send buses more frequently.”

Additionally, of those surveyed, nearly 2/3rds of students expressed that bus delays and cancellations negatively impacted their work ethic at university. This dissatisfaction was similarly pronounced for students living in Leamington Spa, with a huge 90% seeing their productivity suffer. “It’s just demoralising”, said one third-year student.

Not only can these delays dampen students’ enthusiasm for their degree, but likewise they are detrimental to scheduling. Coordinating group study and exec meetings has become increasingly challenging for Warwick students, as well as long waits stranded at bus stops due to cancellations which has left many fatigued by the stress of commuting. One third-year student argued that bus delays “waste time [they] could be working”, whilst another asserted that they struggled to complete all their daily tasks due to uncertainty with the bus service.

I’m poor, so I guess I will eat less

Second-year student, on the increasing bus fare price cap

With transport costs set to rise, students are due to face even tougher budgeting decisions. One second-year’s response to the increased £3 fare cap read: “I’m poor, so I guess I will eat less”; a bluntly honest but equally concerning statement befitting the additional financial pressures of paying for travel in already testing times.

Several students even called for a free or subsidised university-run bus service from Leamington Spa. One economics student, Clea, was surprised not to find a free service when she arrived at university: “I am from the US where the bus service is free for students, so I assumed a city full of students would have a similar policy.” Closer to home, there are some UK universities that offer free bus services for students travelling to and from campus. For instance, University of Manchester staff and students can access the 147 bus route, connecting their Oxford Road campus to popular student neighbourhoods like Fallowfield, free of charge, whilst a similar service is available in Southampton.

Students queue for the bus to Leamington at University Interchange | Image: Martin Day / The Boar

Stagecoach, Warwick SU, and the University of Warwick were approached for comment.

Bus services remain the Warwick University student’s favourite grievance, but testimony of disruptive delays and chronic cancellations paint an alarming picture. With tuition fees set to rise, and students looking to make the most of their university education, weary commuters urged the University to change the record on student travel; perhaps best illustrated by the determined call of one second-year biochemistry student: “Step up, Warwick.”