By Ellen Paterson, News Reporter, Ariella Greenfield, News Reporter, and James Lewis, Co Editor-in-Chief
Veterinary students and other University of Bristol staff are voicing their concerns over the quality of U2 bus services, a vital route that runs directly to the Vet School’s Langford Campus.
Located 14 miles outside of the city, the Langford campus is home to numerous labs and specialised facilities for Vet students, such as an animal hospital and dairy farm. The campus also supports a number of research staff.
Charlie Golder, a third year Accelerated Graduate Entry Program (AGEP) Veterinary Medicine student, relies on the U2 to get to her classes in Langford. She told Epigram that the U2 is ‘late everyday’, and that problems with the service are causing anxiety amongst students, with fears about missing exams or compulsory lectures.
According to a freedom of information (FoI) request lodged with the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (WECA) by Epigram, the U2’s punctuality has fallen dramatically. Between September 2024 and January 2025, U2 buses reached Langford campus on time 90.08 per cent of the time. A year later, across the same period, this had fallen to 60.31 per cent. For those waiting at the stop ‘Park Street Top’, the bus was on time 86.85 per cent of the time, but again this fell dramatically the following year to just 37.9 per cent of the time. First Bus considers a bus to be ‘on time’ if it is between one minute before and five minutes and 59 seconds after the scheduled time of arrival.
Epigram spoke to Ben Clingan, a research technician who works in Langford and depends on public transport to travel. He claims the U2 services have seriously deteriorated over the past year and suggests recent route changes may have caused the decline.
Mr Clingan says the trip used to take 40 minutes with ‘essentially zero cancellations and very few late buses.’ However, changes to the U2’s route last summer, extending it to travel to Weston-Super-Mare, appear to have had detrimental effects on its reliability.
Sofia Lambis
‘The first few days were utterly disastrous’ Mr Clingan said, with it now being ‘incredibly rare for any bus to be on time.’ Cancellations have become the norm and ‘every single bus is late with almost no exception.’ Mr Clingan also described a case where the bus left over 35 students stranded after being delayed by traffic.
A University of Bristol spokesperson said: ‘We are actively working with First Bus to improve the service they currently provide.’
Mr Clingan told Epigram that he informs a member of staff at the University when something ‘major’ happens, but as far as he can tell nothing has been done to improve the service. He has sent emails of complaint to First Bus, but he said this was ‘essentially useless [...] as they simply don’t listen or make changes.’
He also noted that many students are now resorting to taxis or other transport methods to get them to campus on time, sometimes at significant personal cost.
Epigram also spoke to Penny, a second-year student at Bristol Vet School. She said the University normally organises coaches in the mornings for first, second and third year students, although the timings of these buses often leave students waiting for hours on campus after lectures have finished.
‘I often find the U2 is way later than the schedule which is incredibly inconvenient and a couple of times we’ve been late to our compulsory practicals’ she said. If Vet students miss more than 20 per cent of compulsorily scheduled teaching they risk being kicked off their course.
Ellen Paterson
Keira Guy
The University of Bristol’s relationship with First Bus has changed over the past year, with the company gradually phasing out free bus passes for first year students. The U1 is now a commercial rather than contracted service, and only students living in North Village have unpaid access to it. From next year, first years in North Village will have to pay for their transport as free bus passes are phased out completely.
The cost for the a First Bus ‘full Bristol zone’ pass was £485 this year, valid between September 12 2025 to May 31 2026.
The University’s trouble with buses don’t stop there. Already, students in newly built accommodations Avon Point and Metalworks have voiced complaints about a lack of transport provision, as reported by Epigram in September.
Epigram reached out to First Bus who did not respond to a request for comment.
Featured image: Epigram / Ellen Reynolds
