Students place pressure on university to subsidise transport costs for vet students.

A campaign has been launched this week to put pressure on the university to provide a free bus for veterinary students to travel to the Easter Bush campus. Veterinary teaching at the University of Edinburgh was consolidated to the Easter Bush campus last year having previously been split between the Easter Bush campus and the Summerhall buildings in Newington.

The university currently pays £14,000 each month to Lothian Buses to divert services to the campus, which lies seven miles from the city centre, but students and staff who use the shuttle service are still charged a full fare.

The campaign has been organised by the Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA) and the Vet School Council.

It will involve collecting signatures from the university’s 400 Vet students and other students around the university.

Matt McPherson, President of EUSA, said, “At £1.30 per journey, or £468 per year for a bus pass, this cost is simply unfair - particularly since Vet students already have significant hidden course costs.”

McPherson also argued that a free bus service should not be considered a “luxury” and was vital for some students’ education.

He explained, “Those who use the King's Buildings bus each day will recognise that they receive no extra funding for travel costs and yet are still required get to classes, and use services, across different campuses regardless of whether they can afford it or not.”

Campaigners hope to get signatures from all students who study at the Easter Bush campus.

Hugh Murdoch, EUSA Academic Services Convenor who will be collecting signatures at Easter Bush told The Student, “This is a campaign that I know we can win. It’s unfair that some students are being forced to pay hundreds of pounds every year just to get to class, while transport to other campuses is quite rightly subsidised by the university.

“I know that when the university hears the case for this change and feels the support that it has, it will provide a free Easter Bush bus.

“This change will have a real impact on the hundreds of students who study at Easter Bush.”

The consolidation of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Sciences was welcomed by staff and students but has led to some concerns of the costly transport bill for students living in the city centre.

The university did not respond to The Student’s request for comment at the time of going to print.