Bus Services for StudentsHere at NEW College we appreciate that getting to College can be a difficult and sometimes expensive thing to do. Especially for full-time students who need to get to one of our campuses that is in another town to that in which they live. We therefore provide bus services between the campuses in Redditch and Bromsgrove and from South Birmingham.
These services are free and available to all Full-time students, however any student wishing to use services will be required to produce a NEW College Student ID Pass when boarding the bus.
These buses are provided and entirely funded by the College and are designed to assist where there are transport issues experienced by large numbers of students. Inevitably the transport we can provide is limited by available funding and the College cannot provide transport that will meet the needs of every student.
Whilst it is expected that the timetable will remain unchanged for the duration of the academic year, changes may be made in order to make the service more closely match student needs if required. It is unusual for a College to make such provision and as such demonstrates NEW College’s commitment to supporting students.
NEW College provides a free inter-campus bus shuttle service for students during normal term-time. The pick up and drop off points are Easemore Rd in Redditch (behind the Sixth Form Centre) and the bus stop in the College’s main car park at the Bromsgrove Campus.
Note: Always be at the bus stop 10 minutes before the bus is due to arrive as the time on your watch may be different to the bus drivers!
Bus Service from South Birmingham
North East Worcestershire College provides a free bus service for Full-time students to its main campuses from the South Birmingham areas of Rubery, Frankley, Northfield, Longbridge and West Heath.
With ever increasing numbers of young people from the above areas making a clear choice to study at NEW College there are inevitably some students who have difficulties with the availability or costs of transport. The service is offered in order to alleviate some of these difficulties rather than to meet the transport needs of all students from the area.
Each morning of normal term-time, buses travel to both Redditch campus and Bromsgrove campus with corresponding buses making the return journey late in the afternoon. An additional bus is provided at lunchtime that travels to and from Redditch.
Note: Always be at the bus stop 10 minutes before the bus is due to arrive as the time on your watch may be different to the bus drivers!
Whilst we are trying as far as possible to meet the needs of students travelling from south Birmingham, the College cannot guarantee availability and it may be that in future availability has to be limited. The College therefore appeals to all students to use the service only where the cost or availability of other transport is a problem e.g. in normal circumstances students who receive a bursary or learner support fund should use their payments to fund their transport requirements.
Making sure you’re eligible to use NEW College transport
Under normal circumstances we require all students using NEW College transport to be carrying their Student ID Card and be prepared to produce their card if asked by the Bus Driver or another authorised agent of the College (from time to time the College will employ a security company to ride on buses).
For the first few weeks of the Autumn Term you will be able to use the College buses without a student ID card but you must make sure you have a pass by 27th September.
ID Cards are issued by Learner Services staff in the LRC at the main campuses in Redditch and Bromsgrove. You should be issued with your ID Card as part of your induction programme.
Please keep it safe and carry it with you at all times. If you forget your card you may be stopped from boarding the bus. When at College you may also find your tutor will ask you to go home and get your card if you forget it. You may also be charged for the replacement of a lost card.
Students using the inter-campus shuttle bus who forget to bring their pass can ask for a temporary day pass from the Reception desks at the main campuses. Reception will only issue students with a temporary pass on three occasions. Please note Reception Desks do not open till 08.30 so forgetting your bus pass may make you late for your class!
Conditions of using NEW College Transport
- Always have your student ID Card with you for all travel on the inter-campus bus and be prepared to show your pass if asked by the driver or another representative of the College. If you are not able to produce your pass you may be denied travel.
- You are only entitled to use College transport when you have classes at College.
- Please behave appropriately and respectfully at all times whilst using the bus service.
Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action that can include being barred from College transport and in the case of serious breaches being excluded from College. Students who are barred from College transport are responsible for their own transport needs.
- Smoking and use of offensive language is not permitted on College buses.
- North East Worcestershire College cannot in any circumstances accept responsibility for loss or damage to any property belonging to students, staff or any other persons whilst using the service. Such property can only be permitted to remain thereon at the owner’s risk.
- We expect you to be considerate and only take up one seat. The front two seats on each bus have been set aside for students with limited mobility, those bringing children to College Nursery and the elderly. You can use these seats if no-one is using them but you must give the seat up immediately if an elderly student, a student with a child or limited mobility boards the bus.
- For your own and other passengers’ safety, it is very important that you don’t take part in boisterous behaviour, make too much noise or in any other way distract the driver. You should not throw any objects from the bus windows or shout at people passing by. Standing or sitting against the front window is not allowed as this is against Health and Safety regulations. If you cause any damage to a College bus you will not be allowed to use College buses and you will have to pay all costs to repair the damage.
- If buses are fitted with seatbelts you should wear them at all times.
- .If you have any queries, problems or concerns about travel on the College buses please contact the Student Lounge.
Remember; always check you have your ID Card with you before you leave home in the morning as you won’t be able to get on the bus without it.
Please remember, in addition to these rules all aspects of the College’s Student Charter (printed in the Student Handbook) and College Rules (printed on the reverse of the enrolment form) apply to students using the bus service.
At NEW College we value the views and opinions of students. If you have any observations which may help us to improve the service please do not hesitate to put these forward using the Complaints and Suggestions procedure. Modifications made as a result of feedback from last year’s student.
What’s new following student feedback?
Towards the end of the 2009/2010 academic year we carried out a review of the inter-campus and Birmingham bus services. For this review we involved College managers and students from both the Redditch and Bromsgrove campus sites.
Overwhelmingly, the students supported the bus services, gave very positive feedback and appreciated the service and realised the cost to the College in providing this free service to them.
As a result of these comments and assessing the demands on the service for next year, we are planning on making a number of changes from September 2010:
- Suspension if the £5 bus pass charge
- The use of single deck buses wherever possible
- An additional morning service from Birmingham to Redditch
- Fast track disciplinary action in response to bad behaviour on buses
- The introduction of customer service staff to assist in the operation of the bus services
We hope these changes will further improve what we see as an exceptional service for students. Please remember the bus services are not a right but the College considers this provision as an essential element in assisting students who study at the College.
Please help us to maintain this service, the drivers are providing you a service, it’s really important that you respect them and other bus users, remember to say thank you to the drivers, they will appreciate it.
Also, please bear in mind that your watch may not be showing the same time as our bus drivers so please try to be at the bus stop early – if you arrive exactly at the time stated the bus may be gone!
Financial Assistance for Transport other than that provided by NEW College Students who are over 19 can apply to the College’s Learner Support Fund.
Students who are 16-18 may be eligible to apply for a bursary.
Students who are 16-18 may be eligible to apply for EMA.
More information is available from the College’s Advice Centres.
Worcestershire Local Education Authority provides discounted travel assistance for students aged 16 to 19. The information and application forms can be picked up from our receptions or you can telephone Worcestershire Educational Travel Team on 01905 768476.
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