Many students from the University of Stirling feel the UniLink bus service is unreliable considering the irregular frequency of the buses, operated by Midland Bluebird.
The service designated for students follows a route that goes back and forth between Stirling’s City Centre and the University while passing off-campus accommodation such as John Forty’s Court and the Union Street development.
Multiple students, especially those who live in off-campus accommodation, have expressed their issues with the bus service as delays and inconsistencies are causing them to show up late to classes.
A university student who stays in the Union Street development has said :
“There have been times where I have had to stand and wait for upwards of 20 minutes for one to show up. I’ve had to change my morning routine in order to get to campus in time for classes.”
Another student who lives off-campus in the centre stated:
“Sometimes it takes 10 minutes to get from the city centre to the uni and sometimes it takes an hour, and whilst traffic is a variable element along with road works etc. It’s often that the buses aren’t spaced out along the route, or it’s a single-decker that no one fits on, or it’s just 20 minutes late for no reason!”
The irregularities of the buses have not only led to some students being late for their classes, but many also feel irritated by long waits and queues to get a bus back home.
A student who has experienced occasions where she has had to queue for a bus back to her flat has said:
“I think that it doesn’t help with how busy it tends to be for people waiting for buses/being on buses when everyone is trying to pack in, especially when you are trying to get home after a class at four.”
Another student also mentioned that “the drivers can be quite rude.”
The service boldly advertises that they are “every 8 minutes” on the side of each bus and across their timetables, which it has failed to follow over recent months.
The delays of the Unilink bus service have worsened when there have been road works along Causewayhead Road, which have taken around 2 weeks to complete.
Midland Bluebird has not offered any information and is still to comment on the issue.
Read more about the Unilink bus service at Stirling University here.
Featured Image Credit: Route-One.Net
Third year journalism student at Stirling University
