Goodricke Go Wild In The Ailes

A NEW ‘Supermarket Bus’ has been provided for Goodricke students just weeks after their new JCRC was voted in.
The new service, which will take Goodricke students to Asda at Monks Cross six times each week, will be a vital lifeline for those living at the University’s most remote college.

The supermarket shuttle will cost students £2 for a return ticket to the Monks Cross complex which includes an Asda and a Sainsbury’s as well as a host of other high street stores. The scheme has been executed by new Goodricke Vice Chair for Democracy & Welfare, Peter Sharpe.

Sharpe told Vision: “Goodricke is very isolated and so obviously there are no links to supermarkets. This is something that was first raised during [JCRC] elections when I received some really good feedback for the idea.
“We thought that people would be most interested in going to Morrisons or Waitrose at Foss Islands but, when we asked people, Monks Cross came out clearly as the place that would be best.”

The college has come to an agreement with York Pullman who will provide three services each Wednesday and Saturday. The system will allow for two hours of shopping time before returning to the college. It is anticipated that it will also be possible to redeem the tickets on the number 44 bus route that runs from Heslington East, through the town centre, ending at the railway station.

A first year PPE student in Goodricke college told Vision: “This is really great news. Goodricke is slightly marooned on Hes East, so it will help us a lot, and will also make the college even more attractive to freshers in future years.”
Although the move has come as good news to Goodricke residents, it will pile the pressure onto YUSU Democracy and Services Officer (and former Goodricke Chair) Dan Walker.

Walker made the setting up of such a supermarket bus a key manifesto priority in last year’s elections, promising to bring in transport to take campus residents to a large supermarket. He even went as far as to suggest that he would drive the bus himself at last year’s YUSU election hustings.

Sharpe noted that he “couldn’t comment on why Dan hasn’t been able to fulfil his manifesto commitment yet. I’ve got a very good relationship with York Pullman which has enabled me to pull this off.”

Vision spoke to Walker who noted that to his knowledge, “it’s an addition to the route of the 55 which runs to Monks Cross and already stops at Hes West.

“This is a great move for the college, however my aim is to pilot a bus which runs directly to a nearby supermarket.”

He also commented on his pledge to drive the supermarket bus himself, saying that he was “still looking into the logistics of funding and pricing options,” but that “unfortunately sabbs aren’t covered under insurance to drive students around, as they are trustees.”