A bus service that goes between Norwich city centre and Bowthorpe has had its running time extended. 

The 26A bus route between the city centre, campus and Bowthorpe will run on a longer schedule. 

The service, owned and run by First Bus, previously stopped at 6:40PM.  

But it will now run until 11:28PM, with the last bus leaving campus to go to Bowthorpe Shopping Centre at 11:15PM. 

It comes after students raised concerns about safety in the area at night, with many suggesting that the lack of street lights made it a risk to walk home from campus. 

Amjad Daher, Community and Culture Officer for the Students’ Union, described how he met with local councillors to implement the change. 

He said: “It was really important for me to extend the bus times, so I could allow students to spend more time on campus. 

“I’m hoping that it makes it more accessible and much safer, as well as allowing more students to be able to engage in campus life.” 

In March, Amjad ran for the full-time officer role with a manifesto point that promised ‘improved transport’ between Bowthorpe and campus. 

In a statement, Councillor Richard Lewis congratulated Amjad for having ‘successfully pressed for extended services’ between the university and Bowthorpe. 

The Bowthorpe Ward, supported by councillors Mike Sands, Richard Lawes and Sue Sands, worked alongside the full-time officer to achieve the new system. 

They said: “It makes things much safer for students and residents generally, when returning to their homes later in the evening. 

“Norfolk County Council has received more than £34m in new funding from the government to enhance local transport infrastructure. 

“We thank them for helping with and funding this system.” 

Bus route 26A will also extend its service time, as well as First Bus number 21 increasing its frequency. 

Image Credit: Amjad Daher