Working with an alliance of organisations across the region to improve transportation in our shared community, student leaders at Leeds Beckett have been active in the Buses campaign. Students had spoken about their struggle to pay for essentials including transportation costs, and the importance of regular and reliable buses to support them to attend study and work on time.

After listening to students’ experiences, the Buses Campaign decided to focus on the following objectives:

  1. To work to expand the existing £1.40 student bus fair to all bus routes in West Yorkshire, not just from the University to the ring road in Leeds, to account for the diversity of places that our students live in.
     
  2. To work to reduce all bus fares for all Leeds students in all areas of Leeds to £1. Once we have achieved this for Leeds, roll this out across west Yorkshire.
     
  3. Additionally, improve the reliability of live bus tracking information (including the app and at bus stops) across the whole city.

Our students are working hard to elevate students’ stories around this issue with those who have the power to make this change in the region, including meeting with the Mayor of West Yorkshire and MPs from student areas highlight the impacts that such changes would have on students. By achieving a win for this campaign, we would support many students to feel more confident in their ability to learn, work and manage their financial commitments.