The Newham Experience. Busing it!

7/31/2019 The Newham Experience. Busing it!

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The Newham Experience:Busing It!


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Contents

1. Scope of Work

1. Methodology

1. Findings

1. Recommendations

1. Q&A


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Scope of Work

MSc Social Development Practice of UCL has been commissioned by

the Overview and Scrutiny, Newham Borough Council to contribute

to research to Regeneration and Transport Mini Scope 2:

Reviewing the Bus Network


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Objectives

1. What are the constraints related to social identity and travelingby bus that school students face in: Getting to and from school Accessing educational opportunities of choice that are

available within the Borough

2. To what extent do current local bus services recognize andcater for these constraints?


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Primary Stakeholders

Newham Young Peoples Board

Students


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Secondary Stakeholders

Bus drivers

Headmaster

Tutor

Teachers Officer for Safety Education

Youth Safety Workers


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Sampling:Sex

Male : 28

Female : 40

Total : 68


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Sampling:Age by school year

Year 9 : 13

Year 10 : 13

Year 11 : 22

6th Form : 20


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Sampling:

Students with disabilities

Deaf/Hard of hearing : 6

Learning Disability : 3

Physical Disability : 3


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Tools

FOCUSGRO

UPS

INTERVIEWS

OBSE

RVATION

S

QUEST

IONNAIRES


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Strengths

Students in general were open, honest, willing tocontribute to discussion; it helped by being in

comfortable surroundings they were used to; Good group sizes number of researchers to

participants;

Students well engaged and willing to help the researchteam;

Inclusive approach to social identity.


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Limitations

Lack of control over selection of students for focus

groups; - With time constraints this was helpful

Quieter students;

- Gender disaggregated groups

Students that signed up for focus groups didntturn up.


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Limitations

Coordination with the schools; - Initial communication

- Unforeseen circumstances

Bus drivers did not drive the designated school routes


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Findings


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Findings: NewVIc Sixth Form College

Safety Postcode gangs;

Limited mobility for young males

Girls experience greater mobility

Bus drivers;

Limited power to intervene and lack of respect

Considerable power in choosing when to stop/who to let on

PCSOs;

Limited powers

Numbers

Prejudice

Stop and search;

Young peoples consideration of other bus users.

People dont careabout other

people on the

bus. ...but...

when peoplesmile at you onthe bus, you feelbetter.


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Age, Gender and RaceAge discrimination by bus drivers and bus users;

Gender discrimination by bus drivers;

Lack of communication and interaction between different groups of bususer.


Just becauseIm in a hoodie,doesnt mean Ima thief. Its just

fashion.

Young peopleare beingpersecuted forbeing young.


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Safety concerns not recognised:

Lack of PCSOs;

Bus drivers limited power;

Bus driver attitudes;

Lack of live CCTV on buses.

Lack of effective complaint mechanism for students.


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Research with disabled youth in NewVIc

People dont understand what life

is until theyre disabled.

NewVIc student,18 years old


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Household

Borough

School 200 disabled students in NewVic;

Coordinating transport for disabled students; Coaches for extra curricular activities; Handling relationship between parents and

transport staff.

Provision of transport for disabled students

Regular bus; Special needs buses; Resources allocation and

policy making.

Low-income; Migrant families/ language constraints; Unsatisfactory communication; Car ownership/ drivers license; Time management difficulties.


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Findings Focus Disabled Students

Support

Dependenceon family tiesand situation

Case ofMohamed andMarion

Difficult toaccess by wheelchairs; spaceconstrain andbad ramps

Limited disabilityawareness ofsome bus drivers

Goodrelationship withthe bus drivers

Long journey

Limited schedule

5 disabled youngpeople wererejected from the

special needsbus

Socialisation,which occursmainly afterclasses atcollege

Educationalactivities(tutoring, libraryafter classes)

Regul

arBus

Famil

y

SpecialNeedsBus

School/E

ducation


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Lister School

Year 10-11


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Findings from Lister Students (Age 14-15)


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In relation to social identity, some students noted that:


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Findings Lister Community School

Most students live in Plaistow or in neighbouringwards;

18.9% take the bus; Asked about their preferred mode of transport,

only 7.2% said they would take the bus;

Only a minority accesses other educationalopportunities in the Borough.


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Mobility and Social Identity Lister


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Findings: Lister Community School

Gender

Boys feel vulnerable on the bus, concerned fortheir safety mugging, bullying;

Girls state they feel nervous when it gets dark andthey are alone at the bus stop especiallyproblematic during winter months;

Girls feel insecure when stared at and addressedby (older) boys;

Both boys and girls feel intimidated bygroups/gangs of older youths (mainly boys).


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Age

Cross-cutting issue;

Students feel intimidated by older youths;bullies described as theyre wild, they shout,

they scream and they are older

gangs consist of mainly boys, aged 14-21 of all

races; Younger students feel compelled to give up seats

for older youths;

Thefts committed by older youths.



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Disability

Student with cochlear implants stared at; Anecdotal evidence of problem with freedompass.



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Ethnicity

Hardly mentioned by students;

Anecdote: other students taking the mickey out ofmy country[Bangladesh].



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General Findings

Bus as a space to relax, chat with friends;

Long waiting times;

Dirty buses, unhygienic;

Misunderstanding of bus rules and regulationsregarding overcrowding;

Students would prefer nicer, kinder people on thebus;

Mixed feelings about relationship with drivers;



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Findings from Bus Drivers

Younger kids (younger than 12) on bus make lots of loud noise, treat bus asplayground;

Teenagers on the bus; Play music very loud and get into fights (no racial problem or identity problem involved), Have attitude problems on the bus (e.g., smashing the Oyster Card touching machine), Treat bus as a dust bin,

Verbal and physical attacks on the bus driver, e.g. the No. 147 bus driver got violent attacked byseveral 15~20 year old teenagers, almost died, Sneak into the bus driver window and take cash from the bus driver box, No respect for the elders on the bus, push each other to get on the bus, dont make ways for the

elderly.

Bus drivers will look for people on the bus who have special needs, but willavoid too much contact because these people with special needs feel

uncomfortable with too much attention;

Disabled kids usually having their own transportation alternative, bus drivershavent had much experience with kids on wheelchair.


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Recommendations:


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Recommendations:

Clarity of Rules and Procedures

Stakeholders: Schools (admin and students), TFL, Council, Police

Develop educational campaign: clarity of procedures

and rules to students: Print material, social media;

Oyster card use;

Behavioural expectations (noise levels, littering);

Safety and security;

Procedures (full buses, stop requests);

Consistent implementation of policies.


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Stakeholders TFL, Bus drivers, Schools and Students

Meeting between bus drivers and students:

Open up dialogue, increase sensitivity and empathybetween the two groups;

Dispel stereotypes,

Further clarification of policies and procedures bydrivers;

Annual get-to-know you between regular route driversand school.

Recommendations:



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Stakeholders (Council, general community, TFL, Schools,

Students, Parents)

Community meeting:

Youth, elderly, adults (confronting ageism);

Dispel stereotypes, facilitate understanding and dialogue;

Address issues of safety, respect.

Stakeholders: New Vic, Council, Parents, Students

Meetings between above mentioned stakeholders

regarding transportation for students with disabilities.

Recommendations:



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Recommendations: Accessibility

Stakeholder: TFL

Re-assessment of ZIP Card Oyster Sard system;

Yearly updated photos, Consistency in policy and implementation (enforcement),

Frequency of service;

More buses to relieve wait times,

School specials during peak times,

Audit ramp capabilities of buses to ensure accessibility;

Language;

Translation assistance,

Provision of multi-lingual information and documentation.


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Stakeholder: Council

Greater flexibility in bus schedules, such as extension ofschool services to accommodate after school activities (New

Vic);

Review route design;

- Reduce inefficiencies in bus services for students withdisabilities,

Specific review of case of five NewVic students rejectedfrom special bus service.

Recommendations: Accessibility


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Recommendations: Safety

Stakeholders: TFL, Police, Council, Youth Safety workers,

Community police, Schools, Students, Parents

Creation of task force to coordinate (existing) efforts tocombat gangs, violence, and muggings on bus;

Community policy supervising buses;

TFL: Review safety and security policy for passengers,especially re: mugging;

Specific training for bus drivers,

Silent alarm.


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Stakeholder: TFL, Council, Schools

Increase physical security on bus;

Specific training for students, e.g. how to de-escalateconflict,

Part of Education Campaign, Increase sense of community among passengers via public ad

campaign, e.g. Look out for vulnerable passengers,

community meetings.

Recommendations: Safety


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Recommendations: Methodology

Students as stakeholders:

Students in consultation and participation; Newham Young Peoples Board,

Young Mayor, Student councils, clubs

Students assist in formulation of questions (e.g.appropriate language, terms) and interviewingtechniques;

Link students with any further opportunities and projectsrelating to transport, safety, youth, etc.


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Schools as stakeholders:

Involve schools as much as possible in the formulationand design of project TOR;

Increase communication and information disseminationbetween school and council; Identify key administrators and teaching staff.



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Disaggregate further research by gender, abilityand age (year):

Mix between group interviews and individual interviews;

Workshop based focus groups;

Extend scope study to marginalized youth whoface difficulties in accessing school (youth).



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Areas requiring further research

Gender and safety:

Gender disaggregated research;

Younger boys (particularly vulnerable to theft), Girls (comfort zones),

Transportation and after-school activities.


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Questions and Answers

Thank you!

The Newham Experience. Busing it!

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