More than one third of bus passholders are not using the bus any more than a year ago, suggest preliminary results from a Transport Focus survey.
The soon-to-be published report will investigate reasons why concessionary bus use has failed to return as well since the start of the pandemic as across-the-board patronage.
Survey responses in May received from 2400 members of a transport user panel were discussed this month on a Transport Focus webinar, although the data collection was ongoing.
The statistics showed 68% of panel members who used a bus and were eligible for a free pass said they used the mode of transport less during the pandemic than before. Of these, 68% say they had increased their bus use between May 2022 and May 2023. However, 19% responded that they were using it about the same and 15% said they were doing so less.
Alison Edwards, Confederation of Passenger Transport Director of Policy, spoke on the webinar and noted that, overall, passenger numbers were at about 93% of prepandemic levels. She says: “Given some of the changes in travel patterns, I think that’s looking quite healthy.”
But she adds: “Concessionary travel is stubbornly stuck around high-60%, low-70%.” She remarks that operators who are heavily reliant on concessionary travellers could thus struggle to run viable services.
According to the survey, top reasons passholders had not increased their bus use in the past year included: making fewer leisure journeys (41%), reduced bus services (32%), reduced reliability of services (31%), fewer shopping trips (27%) and fewer health-related appointments (7%).
Ms Edwards found the 41% statistic particularly notable, in view of other research which highlights the positive influence of a bus pass on mental health. She said: “That, to me, feels quite concerning and something we’d want to do something about. For a whole host of reasons, I think it’s important we work with operators, local authorities and other stakeholders to get concessionary travellers back.”
For those who are not using the bus more than 12 months ago, survey responses revealed that the top factor that would increase their bus use was better service frequency, which was selected by 55%, followed by more destinations being covered (49%).
Ms Edwards also she would welcome a review by the Department for Transport into concessionary reimbursement, which is scheduled to take place this year.
