RSU is lobbying TfL to increase the number of 72 buses south of Hammersmith Bridge during peak times. Please tweet @TfL with the hashtag #More72
Here is the Open Letter sent to TfL explaing RSU's request: 

Dear Transport for London,

University of Roehampton students recently voted on an issue affecting the everyday lives of the 8,000 who study on campus and use your transport network to get to and from the University (making it RSU policy to lobby TfL).

The 72 bus is one of the routes most used by our students, connecting the University to Hammersmith bus and tube station, a key connection point to central London.

The 72 bus route was already an issue due to the difficulties surrounding Hammersmith Bridge, and following an audit over the summer months the number of buses south of the Thames has been reduced by:

• 33% weekdays 7 AM to 9 AM & 4.30 PM to 6.30 PM: 1 bus every 6 minutes as opposed to 1 every 4 minutes. 5 buses less per hour (10 as opposed to 15).
• 50% on weekdays during the rest of daytime and Sundays all day.

Information according to the TfL website, dated 30th September

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/buses/permanent-bus-changes#on-this-page-8

We understand the need to review and change transport schedules for efficiency and environmental reasons, and do not mind having to wait a little longer during off-peak hours on weekdays and Sundays.

We request that the number of buses during the peak periods of 7.30 AM to 9 AM and 4.30 PM to 6.30 PM are increased to the original number of buses operating south of Hammersmith Bridge before the audit.

The issue is not having to wait longer between two buses, but that students are having to wait for several 72 buses to pass the bus stop as they are too full to take on extra commuters.

As previously mentioned, the 72 route is one of the most used by our 8,000 students (and 1,000 University staff members) to reach Roehampton from other parts of London; we are hearing complaints that some commutes are regularly being extended by over 30 minutes as students are being made to wait for four or five buses to pass until they can resume their journey to our campus.

We understand TfL made these decisions following a regular audit, but the 72 bus route was audited during the summer months, while there were no classes held on the University campus - there were 8,000 fewer potential passengers using the service. The information from your website is dated 30th September, but lectures only started on the 25th of September; the audit would have been completed before students returned to the site.

We would also like to request that all future audits of bus routes that reach the University of Roehampton (265; 72; 493) are conducted during University of Roehampton term times, available here: https://www.roehampton.ac.uk/current-students/term-dates/.

We have been informed that the 72 route will be serviced by a double decker bus once more once the Hammersmith Bridge works are completed this summer, increasing passenger capacity. But until then we request the aforementioned increase.

We are launching the RSU #More72 campaign on social media today, to highlight the impact this is having on Roehampton students.

Thank you for all the hard work Transport for London does for its commuters, and please give serious consideration to Roehampton Students’ Union and its 8,000 members’ request.

Sincerely,

Jack De France

President, RSU

jack.de_france@roehampton.ac.uk

0208 392 3607

Roehampton Students’ Union

University of Roehampton

London SW15 5PJ