‘Sheffield’s buses aren’t helping students get to and from university,’ was the key message voiced at a council meeting yesterday.

Councillors met with students at a Local Area Committee meeting at University of Sheffield’s Student’s Union building to discuss issues that affected them.

El, a student at the University of Sheffield said: “The buses aren’t a great option for students at the moment. They don’t work for anyone, and feel like ‘pay more, get less’.” 

Several students said buses were difficult to access because of a lack of a centralised bus pass, and that fares were too high for students who would be taking the bus daily. 

Students at the meeting also unanimously agreed that the buses should be in the hands of SYMCA and not privately owned companies, as they would be prioritising comfort and convenience over profit. 

“The price that we pay [for bus tickets] could be justified if it was invested back into South Yorkshire,” said one student frustrated by the high price point of tickets. 

The meeting also discussed nightlife safety for female students, safety apps and transparency around hiring bouncers. 

Flo Rushton, a student at the University of Sheffield, said: “The lack of transparency around how bouncers are hired makes us feel unsafe and uncomfortable.” 

International students also raised concerns about job opportunities, training resources and events, as well as a lack of representation in discussions around cost of living and accommodation. 

Stalls from the South Yorkshire Police, 1625 Outreach and South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) were also set up to provide students and local community members with information about their services. 

The LAC concluded with Cllr Brian Holmshaw promising to take the feedback collected to all the relevant stakeholders. He added that the next meeting will be on 25 February, 2025, in Hillsborough, and the topic will be Food Growing.