By Sofia Lambis, Deputy Editor
From September 2026, Stoke Bishop residents will no longer have a U1 bus pass included in their rent.
Previously, all first years in undergraduate accommodation had a U1 bus pass included in their rent. However, this academic year only Stoke Bishop residents and students who applied for accommodation before May 1 received the pass. The U1 also stopped being a university-contracted service and became a commercial route run by First Bus. Now, the University is rolling back bus passes for a second time.
Next academic year, North Village students will no longer have a U1 bus pass included in their rent, and will have to buy one separately.
A University of Bristol spokesperson said that the new system
‘helps make our rent model fairer and more transparent and supports our efforts to keep accommodation costs as affordable as possible.’
They also said that ‘the structure and pricing of those passes will be set by First’.
A U1 pass for the university year currently costs £400 and includes the 5 and 77 services as well as certain stops on the 3 and 4. A Bristol Zone pass for the university year currently costs £485.
James Lewis
The Stoke Bishop residences are around 2.2 miles from campus, about a 40 minute walk. Third-year Anthropology student Olivia lived in Hiatt Baker during her first year, when bus passes were given to all students. Speaking to Epigram, Olivia said
‘Hiatt Baker was number eight on my application list, because I didn’t want to be so far away from campus. I always took the U1, especially at night because I didn’t feel safe walking across the Downs. If I was given accommodation I didn’t want and then had to pay for a bus pass on top of that, I would’ve moved.’
The University is also working with the SU to create a transport support package for students across all year groups needing support with travel costs.
Megan Patterson
Featured image: Epigram / Sophie Maclaren
