Van-demonium: AU Put Students At Risk

Failed MOTs and alarming incidents suggest the Athletic Union’s vans may be endangering students

“We had three boys holding the door closed on the motorway to stop it from swinging open as the police drove past,” former St Andrews Futsal player Will Henman told The Saint.

Henman recalled being one of three students physically forcing the door of an Athletic Union (AU) van shut while it sped along the motorway.

Even at the time, it was clear that the vehicle was not in great condition, and at that moment, completely unsafe.

The AU, who are responsible for the vehicles, describes itself as a “student organisation for the support and development of sport at the University.” While it is run by students, the body’s funding ultimately comes from the University. 

Through their membership of the AU, sports clubs at St Andrews are able to use university vans to travel to away fixtures across the country.

However, the poor condition of several of these vehicles raises serious concerns about whether the convenience is coming at the expense of student safety.

The Saint spoke to multiple students who have travelled in AU vans, and several described concerning experiences.

“The driver lost all feeling in both the accelerator and the brakes,” one student said. Their team was left stranded on the side of a road in Glasgow after the vehicle malfunctioned.

Public records show repeated mechanical failures across the fleet. One van was taken off the road this month after failing its MOT eight separate times between 2013 and 2025.

Another vehicle failed its MOT eleven times after 2011 before it was eventually removed from service in October last year. In March 2016, that van failed the test with two faults classified as “dangerous.”

According to a government-approved MOT provider, a dangerous fault is one that “poses an immediate risk to the safety of the driver and other road users.”

Despite these repeated failures, students were still permitted to drive the vans to fixtures across the UK in the days leading up to those unsuccessful MOT tests.

Students say the vehicles frequently display unexplained warning lights, and there are occasional reports of doors loosening while the vans are in use. 

The Saint approached the AU for comment on the condition of the vans, and is still awaiting a response.

Concerns are not limited to the vehicles themselves. Some students have also questioned the adequacy of the training required to drive them.

While drivers must complete a test before being allowed behind the wheel, one anonymous student described the assessment as “worryingly easy.”

Despite his unsettling experience with the loose door, Henman still acknowledged the advantages the vans provide. He described them as “a luxury few universities have at their disposal.” Having access to university vehicles makes travel much simpler for St Andrews sports clubs, especially compared with institutions that rely entirely on public transport to reach away fixtures.

However, when numerous clubs share stories about unreliable doors, unpredictable electronics, and tense motorway journeys, it becomes clear that improvements are necessary.

More frequent mechanical inspections, clearer limits on the age of vehicles in the fleet, and more thorough training for first-time drivers would all help address these concerns. 

Physical exertion should be limited to the pitch, not to jamming a van door shut on the motorway.

Illustration by Isabelle Holloway