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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.
Findings: NewVIc Sixth Form College
Just becauseIm in a hoodie,doesnt mean Ima thief. Its just
fashion.
Young peopleare beingpersecuted forbeing young.
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Findings: NewVIc Sixth Form College
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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Findings from Lister Students (Age 14-15)
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Findings from Lister Students (Age 14-15)
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Findings from Lister Students (Age 14-15)
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.
Findings: Lister Community School
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Disability
Student with cochlear implants stared at; Anecdotal evidence of problem with freedompass.
Findings: Lister Community School
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Ethnicity
Hardly mentioned by students;
Anecdote: other students taking the mickey out ofmy country[Bangladesh].
Findings: Lister Community School
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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;
Findings: Lister Community School
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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:
Clarity of Rules and Procedures
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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:
Clarity of Rules and Procedures
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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.
Recommendations: Methodology
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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).
Recommendations: Methodology
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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!