Leeds students campaign for better bus services

[SF07]

The student unions of the University of Leeds, Leeds Met and Leeds Trinity University College have campaigning for better bus services in and around the Leeds areas. The Leeds Students Bus Service Campaign is wanting better reliability and increased frequencies on services and fairer prices.

One route mentioned for improvement is the 97, the only service that serves Leeds Trinity, with students complaining that a 20 minute frequency at peak times isn't good as it is often full. However, First haven't been supportive of their campaign, arguing that many of the services that serve the universites are 10 minute frequencies (1, 56, 95, 96).

www.guardian.co.uk/leeds/2010/apr/25/leeds-students-bus-campaign

www.leedsstudentbuscampaign.com/
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=242719998523

[Matty]

Centrebus to the rescue?

[fwybuses]

Maybe a peak 97 15 minute frequency?

As for anyone travelling between the furthest (bodington hall) and Leeds City Centre, they can just shut up. They have a number 1, 95, X84, 96, 97, 28. Whats the problem?

[Jack]

Apr 26, 2010 18:20:27 GMT 1 fwybuses said:

Maybe a peak 97 15 minute frequency?

As for anyone travelling between the furthest (bodington hall) and Leeds City Centre, they can just shut up. They have a number 1, 95, X84, 96, 97, 28. Whats the problem?

I think it is the fares that's the problem for Bodington residents. Anyway, I thought the university was planning on closing Bodington if I have heard correctly.

[fwybuses]

They cant really complain about that, they get a student loan, which then pays for student pass which they use throughout the week and weekend. And as for the night services, first does have a right to charge for them at 2AM.

[Matty]

Hmm, HJC in Leeds? - Cheap fares! & It would be a profitable service too!

[fwybuses]

the fact is, they have got not one leg to stand on whatso ever. First operate a service every 3 minutes between Leeds St.Johns and Headingley + 56 service. As for further, they have 4 services to oxley residence, and 3 to bodington hall. Plus fares for them will be pre-paid or fairly cheap anyway. If they dont want to travel bus bring a car. its as simple as that. For once i am on First's side.

[danielnew]

As a Leeds Uni student I would argue that there is more than sufficient provision of services off peak south of Boddington Hall, however in the morning peak towards Uni from Boddington there is still not enough buses to cope with the sheer number of students with lectures at 9am coupled with all the commuters. The reasoning for this is that a number of morning journeys on the 28 are single decker and when the 1 was bendi operated again there wasn't sufficient capacity. Between 0800-0900 there are more buses going northbound out of leeds than inbound on the headingley corridor which is ludicrous!!! Severe delays owing to allowing queues for buses at Headingley Arndale Centre to develop lead to lateness for work/lectures. Drivers may need to change their style and be a bit sharper at saying thats enough passengers and close the doors to ensure good timekeeping. Running the headingley corridor in the peak is like operating a service for a football match, First should employ one or two inspectors at Boddington and the Arndale Centre to manage the services effectively. On the fares side I feel that the fares are reasonable and in any case most of us have an inexpensive season ticket on the other hand those who own a car argue it is cheaper to drive to uni than take the bus... all the time that is the case people will moan. Does it cost £1.70 to drive from Headingley to Uni? Geldards provide a low cost service which is great apart from the lack of service at school times which we all know the reasons for. Boddington is closing so should soon be no longer an issue and First will lose an awful lot of custom as the new replacement residences are on campus = withdrawn 95?

[Steve Macz403]

The Leeds university services dont fare well, but i've notice problems with the service running and timings.Been on a 96 from the bus station and it took a 10 minute wait and St john's centre,even the 1 and a 95 overtook it, within that time could have got to Hyde park. other than that, Once on a Sunday evening bk towards town, i waited for 20 minutes, with no bus timed for that period.

Manchester University services has more efficient services, including inspectors along the corridors of Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester university and Fallowfield. Then again there's bus pile up's. I have seen inspectors place students on a bus allowing ten as the maximum number at one stop. just as the next bus pulls in.

[Jack]

Apr 26, 2010 22:46:26 GMT 1 danielnew said:

Severe delays owing to allowing queues for buses at Headingley Arndale Centre to develop lead to lateness for work/lectures. Drivers may need to change their style and be a bit sharper at saying thats enough passengers and close the doors to ensure good timekeeping.

We all know what would happen there! All the Facebook groups about bus services being c*** and Worst Bus etc will be full of comments about horrible drivers who only allowed a few passengers on at the stops so I was late for lectures as a result.

Surely the 95 would be kept as you still have all the students living in private housing off Otley Road and Headingley Lane who would still be travelling into town by bus. It would probably just terminate at the West Park shops or Lawnswood roundabout.

[fwybuses]

Best idea to be honset, is to run a peak express service from bodington hall. That way all students get on that and the 95 can pick up the others. Start the 95 from Lanswood Roundabout, let the X95 do the Bodington Hall to Leeds NonStop, and then the others are free. This surley would make things a little better. Other then that, i have no other propsistion then for first to invest in some Enviro 500 or Tri Axle B9TL for the 1/95.

[fwybuses]

Just one more thing, first are not really helping the matter by allocating a full set of single deckers on the 97. Why the hell would you just shoot yourself in the foot. To be honset, if this is there retaliation then i am no longer with first, and more with the students. Why wouldnt first just allocate B9TL for a few weeks, until the fire has died down, instead of adding fuel to a fire. Just stupid on their part to be honest.

[www.buseireann.ie]

To be fair on First, Trinity and All Saints isn't a well used bus stop, during the daytime, as a user (sorry sufferer) of Yeadon services, when the blasted 33A doesn't turn up and I have to use the never ending journey 97, I can't help but wonder where all the students of Trinity are, nobody gets on there during the day! To all those students complaining that they can't get to lectures (sorry, sleep sessions after a rough night on the taxpayer), I have one suggestion, set your dam alarms earlier and set off earlier!!!!

[westyorkshirebus]

If Bodington Hall was closed and the 95 withdrawn, I would suggest the following changes.

- Service 97 increased to every 10 minutes with alternate buses running as 97A operating to/from Leeds Bradford Airport instead of Yeadon Town Centre and Guiseley.

- Service 28 increased to every 10 minutes and rerouted via City Rail Station.

This would mean an easy to understand network of 4 services all running every 10 minutes.

[stevo]

this campaign is totally ludicrous,the 97 is never ever full,just another bunch of muppets who cant get their facts right

[fwybuses]

May 1, 2010 20:51:46 GMT 1 westyorkshirebus said:

-Service 97 increased to every 10 minutes with alternate buses running as 97A operating to/from Leeds Bradford Airport instead of Yeadon Town Centre and Guiseley.

- Service 28 increased to every 10 minutes and rerouted via City Rail Station.

While the 97/97A is a good idea, i dont think Adel needs an every 10 minute frequency. Although i understand your point of a clear concise 4 routes at every 10 minutes, not many people will use the service beyond Arndale Centre or if peak Oxley Residence. Even then most seem to jump on the 96/1.

Also what i would do is send the 97A up past Lanswood School, and Drop it down the ring road to re-join onto the 97 route. That way anywhere between Ring road and Leeds have 3 buses an hour, while anywhere between West Park Cafe and Leeds have 4 buses an hour.

Better still, why not just run the 95 between Ring Road and Leeds Rail Station? while there, renumber the 28 to the 94, and , and 1 to 93. That way the students know that the headingley routes are all services between 93 and 97.

[SF07]

I like the idea of having the uni services with the same set of numbers. Works in Manchester, where there is the 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 140, 141, 142 and 143.

Perhaps something that is missing from Leeds is Magic Bus, Stagecoach's no-frills service, or Finglands, who offer cheap singles, day and weekly tickets along the Wilmslow Road corridor. Something that maybe Geldards could do, if they had more buses available. Or, since they get mentioned with any route in West Yorkshire at the moment, Centrebus.

[SF07]

Metro have given their support to the campaign, saying that the university bus services would be addressed in the Quality Contract scheme, although that won't be until late next year and providing the Conservatives don't scrap it if they win the General Election today

www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Bus-shake-up-aims-to.6269970.jp