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Changes to bus services

We know how important fast, frequent public transport connections are for your studies and we also understand the impact of increases in day-to-day living costs on your budget.

The University introduced the UB1 service to provide a much-needed direct link between areas where our students live and where they study because the service provided by Brighton & Hove Buses did not serve student needs, in particular for those students living in Varley Park and who were studying at Falmer.

Since, then, we have worked with Brighton & Hove Buses to improve access to Varley Park, and all our campuses. The University paid for major changes to the entrance to the Varley Park site to allow double-decker buses to enter the campus, and the local council has also made improvements to the roads in the area to improve bus access. As a result of these improvements, Brighton & Hove Buses has been able to increase the number of routes that directly serve Varley Park and increase the frequency of these services for our students, providing better reliability and connectivity between campuses and the halls.

Brighton & Hove Buses operate services connecting our Brighton campuses and halls of residence and discounted student tickets. Read our student blog for information on how to purchase these – including how to verify your student status – and about other discounted travel options available.

UB1 shuttle bus discontinued

The UB1 service ran hourly, and feedback has highlighted that many students found that the service did not meet their needs for travel between sites for teaching and learning. Numbers using the service have remained low, with trips routinely running at less than half capacity, with an average of 22 passengers per trip. It has, therefore, become increasingly difficult to justify the significant cost to the University of operating the service.

The University is committed to ensuring that any service we fund benefits the greatest possible number of students, and takes account, where we are able, of the financial challenges facing many. Having reviewed the enhanced service provided by Brighton & Hove Buses and the small numbers using the UB1, we have, therefore, decided to discontinue the UB1 and for a proportion of the savings to contribute further to the University’s hardship fund which can support a wider range of students. This will include students who may need more support with the cost of travel.

Hardship funding for those experiencing financial difficulty

If you are experiencing financial difficulty, our Student Advice Service team can talk you through the support we offer, from budgeting advice to exploring the increased hardship funds we have available to support you.

For students living close to the previous UB1 route, who had planned to use the bus and may experience financial difficulties as a result of the bus no longer running, please contact our Student Advice team who can talk to you about the ‘Transitional UB1 Support Scheme’ that we have created, and how you may be able to access it. For those of you who would have used the UB1 route and have immediate travel issues, our Student Information Desks will hold a limited supply of free single use bus tickets that may be available to you. They can also refer you to the Student Advice team who can explore wider hardship funding support with you.

For those of you who don’t live near the previous UB1 route, but you are experiencing financial difficulties with your travel as part of wider cost of living challenges, then please also contact the Student Advice team who can talk you through our range of hardship funding and give you access to budgeting advice and tips.

Kind regards,

Matt Kitson,
Director of Estates