It’s the cost, still. Even with subsidised bus travel and even if you can get one bus direct to the campus, it’s 4 x£4 vs parking/petrol. Those needing multiple buses makes it £5 each minimum. Those needing bus/tram and it becomes £7.80, or over £30 for 4, >£600 over a season. Not to mention how many times buses get fucked up along the way or just go from every 15mins to hourly at night - even within the GM region.
If people are to be converted into bus users then they need an incentive. For me it’s the ability to have a few drinks, make a day of it. Having to drive to pick up a bus has no appeal to me and probably many others. We need decent bus services running down Alan Turing Way from the North and South to go with the East and West existing routes in my view. A direct bus from Bury to Stockport or something like that missing out the traffic disaster that is the city centre.