Significant shifts in bus use among concessionary pass holders has led to the exploration of potential strategies to motivate the return of older and disabled pass holders to buses.
It follows new research conducted by independent watchdog Transport Focus, which discovered that more than a third of older and disabled concessionary bus pass holders are reportedly using buses less than before the pandemic.
The research was based on interactions with 2,500 members of the transport user panel, aimed at understanding the changing dynamics of bus use and exploring.
A significant 27% of the respondents highlighted a decrease in outings, notably for shopping and leisure trips, largely influenced by the cost of living crisis and the impact of high street closures. Reduced service reliability has also been a contributing factor, with 31% citing cutbacks or last-minute cancellations as reasons for their decreased usage.
David Sidebottom, Director at Transport Focus, says: “In our survey, we heard from older and disabled people who felt trapped and isolated by the removal of some bus services and from others who felt anxious and frustrated by their unreliability.”
While concerns over COVID-19 have declined from more than half to just three in 10 people over the past year, the fear of infection on buses still poses a barrier for 7% of respondents. To alleviate these concerns, many are calling for the extension of free pass usage to include morning rush-hour bus services.
The introduction of the Government’s £2 bus fare scheme, enabling travel before 0930hrs, has been received positively, with one in four respondents indicating they have used the service this year. Mr Sidebottom endorsed this effort and the accompanying ‘Take the Bus’ campaign, saying, “The bus industry must continue to focus on improving reliability and frequency at key times, which remain the key driver of many discretionary bus trips for older and disabled passengers.”
However, while these strategies have contributed to some users returning to the bus, the need for better service frequency (55%) and more destinations (48%) remain the primary factors for lapsed users considering a return to bus travel.
The impact of these reduced services is far-reaching, with one passenger expressing the psychological toll of unreliable local bus services, stating: “This affects my mental and physical health when I let people down or when I cannot get to see my friends.”
Others shared experiences of increased isolation due to less reliable services, highlighting the urgent need for a reassessment of bus service provision and access for older and disabled travellers. A renewed focus on user experience could play a significant role in enticing these key demographic groups back to bus travel in the UK.
