New TCAT student council chief calls for public transport improvements
The new president of Telford College of Arts and Technology’s Student Council has pledged to make improved public transport links one of his top priorities.
Michael Walker also wants to encourage students to take a more active role in politics, by setting up a series of political societies on campus.
The Student Council at TCAT meets every Wednesday lunchtime between 12.15pm and 1pm.
Michael, 16, from Madeley, got into politics two years ago, and is the county chairman of Young Independence, the youth wing of UKIP. He has done work experience at the office of Jill Seymour MEP, in Wellington.
He said: “I wanted to run for the position of president for one reason – at secondary school, there was a huge bullying problem and I had my life made a living hell for many years. I lobbied to have a student council created, but to my grave disappointment, there was no success.
“My first pledge is that I’m going to be looking at the transport connections from the town centre to Wellington, and all over Telford.
“I have noticed, as a regular commuter and user of the 4 and X4 services, that in the mornings the X4 is a very small bus which is having to turn down a large number of students – both at TCAT, and New College.
“I pledge to work both independently, and co-operatively with the student council at New College, to talk to Arriva and see if we can have this changed, and have either a double-decker bus or a full-size bus implemented into the system.
“I think this will greatly benefit students, because at the minute it is causing us to be late, and is a stress on our shoulders that we do not need, and that is totally unfair towards us.
“My second pledge is working with staff and students to create a series of political societies. I am a huge advocate of young people getting into politics – every single person in this college is affected by it.
“These series of political societies could be aligned with political parties, or they could be aligned with political direction – I want students to talk to me and give their opinions on how this could be done.”
Michael’s comments have been well received by other TCAT students, including Tami Picken, who tweeted: “Yes! Someone finally understands about our bus service. Good one Michael.”
Daniel Blasczyk, enrichment co-ordinator at TCAT, said Michael was keen to join him in tutorial sessions around the college, speaking to groups about how he and the rest of the student council can help.
The student council meets in TCAT’s on-site Orange Tree restaurant every Wednesday lunchtime, and provides free refreshments for students, via funding from NUS membership.
The council is made of students from all areas of the college, including public services, construction, foundation learning, ICT, health & social care and business.
