Transportation for university students: can it be improved?

At first glance, The University of Warwick seems well-connected, with up to 10 modes of available transport listed on the University’s official website. Travelling around Warwickshire and beyond should theoretically be efficient and reliable, with multiple bus operators (Stagecoach, Arriva, National Express, etc.) running services to and from Coventry, Leamington, and the greater Warwickshire Area. This is in addition to trains running from Coventry, Kenilworth, and Leamington Spa. However, most students have experienced the opposite of what is expected with public transport, with bus arrival times like a Russian Roulette game of trust. According to the BBC, a stark 4.1% of train service stops at Coventry were cancelled in the year to mid-August (the highest rate of any major station in the West Midlands).  

A greater number of students using alternative commuting methods would take pressure off buses and trains, giving a smoother transport experience for everyone…

There is no shortage of public transport options, but it is their unreliability and cost that causes disappointment among the student body.  When rushing for a 9am lecture, the last thing you want is the bus being delayed or at full capacity. Additionally, it is costly to travel in and out of the University, with each bus trip costing £3 and train operators jacking up trip prices as the departure date approaches. An ‘easy’ fix for the bus services’ unreliability is to increase the number of bus services around peak times and to lower bus fares, encouraging more students to use the service. However, increasing the number of bus services would raise operators’ costs. Consequently, they are unlikely to be able to lower the bus fare pricing – they would perhaps even increase ticket prices then to keep up with the increased cost. 

I believe that the University should devote more effort towards pushing for alternative methods of transportation, such as cycling or ridesharing. A greater number of students using alternative commuting methods would take pressure off buses and trains, giving a smoother transport experience for everyone as the number of people using each type of transport is distributed more evenly. 

No more training for a 50m sprint when you see the bus pulling into the station!

From an environmental perspective, choosing to walk or cycle around the West Midlands would also be more eco-friendly, with each trip saving around 0.4-0.5kg of CO2 on average (according to PNAS). It would also be healthier as it is a convenient way to get some daily exercise in. Another advantage of using alternative ways of commuting is that it avoids the unreliability of public transport options. With walking, cycling and even ride-sharing, there is no longer a fixed schedule to plan around – instead, the journey could start at any time you wish. No more training for a 50m sprint when you see the bus pulling into the station! 

Surprisingly, ride-sharing is sometimes cheaper than using the bus services. Personally, I’ve found that splitting an Uber ride between two or more people to come into campus from Coventry Rail Station would average around less than £3 per head. It also has the additional advantage of always being available anytime and anywhere, something which public transport.  

Travelling by rollerblade, skateboard, or freeline skates is also a viable option for speeding to your next lecture. The trip between lectures and extra-curricular activity venues is usually too short to cycle, hence the default mode of transport is walking. However, rollerblading or skateboarding not only makes the short trip more entertaining, you also look cooler doing it (if you don’t trip)! 

For a truly viable solution, the University should work with public transport operators to reduce costs and increase reliability

I believe that it is the University’s responsibility to look into and improve commuting options for their students, and they should be proactive in trying to better the on-campus experience for everyone studying here.  So how exactly might the University push for changes in transportation around campus? In my opinion, there are already plenty of bicycle and e-scooter rental spots around campus, and the campus is relatively walkable and has enough cycling paths. With its platform, the University should advocate for the use of alternative transport. It could also consider a rewards scheme for the highest daily step count to encourage students to walk whenever feasible.

Although this article mainly investigates alternative approaches to transport, the University could also potentially consider subsidiary schemes for bus travel. Currently, there is an nBus student bus pass for travelling in the West Midlands, but it is only worth the money if you travel using the bus more than 3 days a week. The University could make the bus pass more accessible by pushing bus companies to lower prices or directing some funding to student bus passes to encourage more people to purchase it. 

In conclusion, we should absolutely consider alternative modes of transport as they do not have the disadvantages that public transport services have. However, we shouldn’t completely negate the importance of public transport either. For a truly viable solution, the University should work with public transport operators to reduce costs and increase reliability, ensuring a more pleasant and affordable travel experience for all.