Video Editor Angelika Etherington-Smith sits down with final-year student Samira Omar to discuss Connecting Campus, the student-led campaign for a free inter-campus shuttle bus.
If you’ve ever tried to go from one King’s College London campus to another—say, from Denmark Hill to Guy’s, or Strand to Waterloo—you’ll know it’s not exactly smooth sailing. Between changing lines, TfL costs, and navigating London’s rush hour, it’s often enough to make you skip the trip altogether.
That’s the problem final-year student Samira Omar set out to solve with her student-led campaign: Connecting Campus.
The goal? A dedicated, free shuttle bus to link King’s campuses, making it easier—and safer—for students to participate fully in university life, wherever they’re based.
“It started because I just saw a clear problem,” Samira told me. “There are over 50,000 students at King’s, but it’s so difficult to move between campuses. I’m always hearing, ‘oh there’s an event at Guy’s’—but I don’t want to go because I don’t want to pay the extra TfL fare, or it just takes too long. We’re all at the same uni, but it doesn’t feel like it.”
The Idea Behind the Bus
The campaign is built around four key issues students face:
- Cost – TfL fares add up fast, especially for students on a tight budget.
- Safety – Westminster, Lambeth, and Southwark are among the most dangerous boroughs in London. Students—especially women and international students—often feel unsafe travelling late or alone.
- Connection – Cross-campus social life is limited. Students miss out on events, societies, and opportunities because of distance.
- Isolation – Students based at Denmark Hill, like those studying at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IOPPN), often feel cut off. “I didn’t even know Denmark Hill existed until recently,” Samira admitted.
“Denmark Hill students are really the most affected,” she said. “It’s not just the distance. It’s also the fact that they’re on one of the hardest degrees, and they’re losing time commuting when they could be studying or resting.”
So What’s the Plan?
Inspired by other universities like University of West London, which runs a reliable shuttle service, Samira brought the idea to KCLSU. After months of work, Connecting Campus is now a KCLSU-ratified campaign, meaning it’s been approved at the student union level with the next steps being a researched proposal and a conversation with King’s senior leadership.
Samria has researched possible partners—like National Express and Go-Ahead London—and has even spoken to universities like UWL to understand how they operate their systems.
“They told me it costs around £500,000 a year,” she said. “Honestly, that’s not that much for King’s. They’re investing billions in other projects. This is something students would actually feel and benefit from directly.”
While logistics are still being worked out, a model like UWL’s could mean shuttle buses running from 7am to 10pm, Monday to Friday, circulating every 15-30 minutes. Samira acknowledged that things like London traffic and route planning will be challenges, but stressed that “it’s doable. And it’s worth it.”
A Growing Base of Support
Despite limited publicity so far, the campaign is already gaining traction. Over 150 students have signed the petition and that’s just through word of mouth and Samira’s networks.
“There’s not been any big KCLSU marketing push yet,” she explains. “But we’re planning for that next term. During Freshers, we’ll push it hard with leaflets, emails, and events. I think the numbers will jump then.”
A launch event is recently took place at Denmark Hill—a wellbeing picnic that doubled as a chance to speak to students and collect testimonials.
Samira shared her motivation behind organising it: “I want to hear what people are experiencing—if they’ve felt unsafe, or if commuting has made their course harder. This isn’t just about ideas, it’s about real student lives.”
Long-term viability of the campaign
Samira is in her final year at King’s, but she’s thought carefully about the campaign’s future.
“That was always in the back of my mind. It’s a big project and might take a year or two to really happen. But we’ve laid strong foundations.”
The campaign will be carried forward by a team of incoming KCLSU officers—many of whom, like President-Elect Bayiu Liu, have already pledged their support. Liu even included Connecting Campus in his election manifesto.
“We spoke before the elections,” Samira explained. “I told him he could include it if he credited it properly—and he did. So now it’s part of his mandate too.”
Samira’s hope is that Connecting Campus becomes one of the major student campaigns of the next academic year, much like Hotels for All has this year.
“If we keep building support and putting pressure on the university, I really believe it will happen.”
The campaign also has strong support from the IOPPN Student Association, which has been instrumental in mobilising students at Denmark Hill. Notably, Faiza Inamdar, the current IOPPN Student Association President, has been directly involved in the campaign as its treasurer, helping with planning and coordination.
With Faiza remaining in her role next year, she’ll continue to offer hands-on support and ensure the campaign stays active and rooted in the needs of students based at Denmark Hill.
So What Can You Do?
If you’re reading this and nodding along, here’s how to get involved:
- Sign the petition
- Share your story with Samira: Have you struggled with commuting, felt unsafe, or missed out on events? Your experiences help build the case.
- Join the team: The campaign is open to all students, from all faculties and campuses. There’s room to help with strategy, research, marketing, or just spreading the word.
- Come to the launch picnic at Denmark Hill and share your thoughts in person.
As Samira puts it, “This isn’t just a transport issue. It’s about creating One King’s—a connected, fair university experience no matter where you’re based.”
