Tackling Transport!
When we began our community organising journey last academic year, one of the main recurring themes that came from conversations with students was how much of an impact poor travel experiences were having on their life in Leeds and their ability to study. ​

In a study conducted by the National Union of Students, it showed that 32% of students from across the UK have said that they have skipped a meal to pay for travel costs. It's clear that something needs to change!

We've had hundreds of conversations with students around the topic of travel through 1-2-1 conversations, house meetings, stalls, and even riding the LBU shuttle bus to hear from students on-the-go!

The kinds of issues that students raised with us have included:​

- Affordability, including increased costs and the student fare not being available to most students due to where they live
- Reliability, including buses sometimes arriving up to hours late,
- Buses sometimes driving past without stopping ​
- Student safety, especially for students who may be marginalised and those who are staying late at the library or taking part in sport and social activities,
- Unreliable tracking information at bus stops and on the app, ​including 'ghost busses'
- Lack of information on changes to routes

From this feedback we began to form an action team and have been working with an alliance of organizations from across West Yorkshire to speak with people including MPs and Mayors to work on addressing the key issues brought forward by students.

Presenting our Power!

As part of our work as an alliance of organisations with leaders across the north, we were invited to take part in The Convention of the North! The Convention of the North is an event which Members of Parliament, Ministers and political figures attend to discuss northern innovation and the future of the north. This is not an open invite event. Topics for discussion includes items like infrastructure, apprenticeship, employability and transport. 

This convention happens every year in different locations. Last year it was in Leeds, based in this university, and this year, the event took place in the University of Lancashire.

On Wednesday 26 February, Leeds Beckett Students' Union had the privilege of attending the Convention of the North’s fringe event at the University of Central Lancashire, Preston. This event is not open to the general public but is available to Citizens UK members, of which Leeds Beckett Students' Union is a part.

The fringe event serves as a precursor to the main convention, bringing together key voices to discuss three pressing issues: the need for improved public transport, tackling low wages and job insecurity, and ensuring those with lived experience have a say in decision-making.

A diverse range of individuals were represented during the roll call, ensuring voices from across the North were heard. Attendees included primary school children, college and university students, disabled people, people seeking asylum and many others directly affected by these challenges. The personal stories shared during the event powerfully illustrated the real impact of these issues.

Leeds Beckett Students' Union was specifically invited to contribute to discussions on improving public transport. One particularly compelling story came from an individual who uses a wheelchair and must take multiple buses to reach work due to a lack of direct routes, significantly increasing their daily challenges. Another example came from primary school students who highlighted the dangers of speeding outside their school, which poses a serious risk to students, parents and teachers alike.

At the heart of this event was the concept of community organising - bringing together people facing similar challenges to collectively advocate for change. The most impactful element of this approach is the sharing of personal stories, which vividly demonstrate the reality of these issues.

Following these testimonies, Winnie Chinyadza, a Student Community Organiser from Leeds Beckett Students' Union, formally presented a request to key decision-makers in front of an audience of over 200 people. The proposal was addressed to Richard Harrison, PR Director of First Bus; Martin Tugwell, CEO of Transport for the North; and County Councillor Swarbrick. Encouragingly, all three agreed to support the request, demonstrating a shared commitment among leaders to improving public transport in the North.

This event highlighted the power of collective action and storytelling in driving meaningful change, and Leeds Beckett Students' Union was proud to be a part of such an important conversation.

Politics in Preston...

On Friday 28 March, the second day of the Convention of the North, there was discussion about the accessibility of transport. Andy Burnham emphasised the need to make northern transportation more accessible to citizens. The support for accessible and affordable public transportation was shared by the South and North Yorkshire Mayor who agreed with Citizens UK’s statements for public transport. 

Soon after these agreements with convention, Angela Raynor delivered a speech encouraging northern innovation and encouragement of youth activists. Angela Raynor emphasised the need for better transportation, northern infrastructure and more employment opportunities. 

The fast paced environment was intense, but also fun. The ability to see highly influential political figures who decide our future while having a seat at that table was intriguing. It’s clear that they care about the north and the future of the north, but there is a question of whether they knew what the north struggled with. 

It has already been established that, when it comes to struggles the layman has, politicians come across as distant. It’s important that as students, we bridge the gap between what politicians believe being a university student is like and the reality. Even though we want to hope that they are operating on the latter, politicians rely on the former when creating decisions that impact us. 

How You Can Get Involved

• Share your story: If you’ve faced challenges on public transport we’d love to hear from you to be able to feed in your experiences.

• Join us: Attend our meetings and help shape the campaign’s direction. The more students involved, the more power we will have to make change!

• Spread the word: Encourage fellow students to participate and share their experiences.

Please use this sign-Up link to join us!: https://www.leedsbeckettsu.co.uk/campaign/buses/

By signing up to the link above, you will join a mailing list to hear about future opportunities to get involved.

If you’re interested in speaking with a member of the campaign team or have any questions, feel free to contact us at communityorganising@leedsbeckett.ac.uk and we will put you in touch.