Rumours have been circulating, and it has been confirmed: the U1 bus pass included in the rent of first-year students living in Stoke Bishop will be a thing of the past come September 2026.
In a statement, Bristol University has said the “U1 service will be run as a commercial service by First Bus, rather than a university-contracted” one.
They commented, “From this year we’ve made changes to the way bus passes are offered to students…From next year, bus passes will no longer be automatically provided to first-year students in our residences”. This year, only students living in Stoke Bishop, plus anyone who was offered accommodation before 1st May 2025, were eligible.
The university continued that “by changing this approach, students now have the freedom to choose how they want to travel and only pay for a bus pass if they need one.
This helps make our rent model fairer and more transparent and supports our efforts to keep accommodation costs as affordable as possible – something students tell us really matters.”
Bristol University have committed to working with the SU to help students who need financial support. “We are working on a transport support package that will apply to all students in need of support with travel costs, not just those in university accommodation.”
But what could this mean for freshers next year? The majority of students set to live in North Village next year will face a 30-minute walk to uni across the downs, come rain or shine, unless they buy a bus pass out of their own pocket (or the pocket of mum and dad). A Bristol Zone bus pass currently costs £436.50 a year, factoring in the 10% student discount.
The university says it’s developing support for students who need help with transport costs. While this does offer some hope, questions remain about how many prospective Bristol students will be financially strained at best or discouraged from confirming their place at worst.
