About this launch This statistical launch presents the newest annual statistics on the native bus sector. Native bus providers use public service autos (PSVs) to hold passengers paying separate fares over brief distances. A lot of the information are obtained from the Division for Transport’s (DfT) annual survey of native bus operators. Figures are offered for England, consistent with protection of DfT bus coverage. Statistics for Scotland and Wales can be found within the accompanying tables.
Adjustments to this launch We’re offering our statistics releases in HTML format and we wish to hear your feedback. When you’ve got any suggestions on our use of this format or on this launch, please contact bus statistics. The construction and format of the spreadsheet tables that accompany this launch has modified to make them extra accessible for our customers. The brand new desk index gives mapping between the outdated and new tables. Historic bus statistical information tables and discontinued bus statistics information tables are additionally obtainable for obtain.
Headline figures
The variety of native bus passenger journeys in England noticed a rise by 1.3 billion or 79.6% to 2.8 billion within the monetary 12 months ending March 2022. This was nonetheless nonetheless far decrease than 2 years in the past the place passenger journeys within the monetary 12 months ending 2020 for England have been 4.1 billion.
Bus mileage in England noticed a rise when in comparison with the monetary 12 months ending 2021 by 93.3 million miles or 9.6%. Bus mileage has been much less severely impacted than passenger journeys during the last couple of years, largely as a result of COVID-19 Bus Service Help Grant (CBSSG) after which the Bus Restoration Grant (BRG) which was launched to maintain providers working which will have in any other case operated at a loss, or not operated in any respect.
Abstract
Desk 1 summarises the annual figures for bus passenger journeys and mileage for the monetary 12 months ending 2022. Figures are damaged down by London, England outdoors London (metropolitan areas and non metropolitan areas), nation and Nice Britain.
Native bus journeys Space Passenger Journeys (billions), monetary 12 months ending 2022 Proportion change in comparison with monetary 12 months ending 2021 Proportion change in comparison with monetary 12 months ending 2020 Automobile Mileage (billions) monetary 12 months ending 2022 Proportion change in comparison with monetary 12 months ending 2021 Proportion change in comparison with monetary 12 months ending 2020 London 1.5 +72.4% -29.4% 0.3 +2.2% 0% English metropolitan areas 0.6 +78.1% -30.8% 0.3 +10.1% -6.9% English non-metropolitan areas 0.8 +96.5% -31.5% 0.5 +14.1% -10.3% England 2.8 +79.6% -30.3% 1.1 +9.6% -6.8% England outdoors London 1.4 +88.2% -31.2% 0.8 +12.7% -9.2% Scotland 0.2 +87.9% -35.2% 0.2 +13.2% -11.7% Wales 0.1 +101.6% -42.5% 0.1 +27.9% -18.0% Nice Britain 3.1 +80.6% -30.9% 1.3 +10.7% -8.0%
Concessionary journey Complete concessionary journeys (aged or disabled, and youth concessions) within the monetary 12 months ending 2022 made up 32.7% (928 million passenger journeys) of all native bus passenger journeys in England. The share is barely decrease in comparison with the monetary 12 months ending 2020 (33.7%). In England outdoors London, whole concessionary journeys made up 30.5% of all passenger journeys. This was decrease than in London the place the determine was 34.7%. DfT’s Concessionary Journey Survey collects extra detailed info from Journey Concession Authorities on concessionary passholder numbers, whole expenditure on concessionary journey and discretionary concessions provided.
Issues you might want to know
The statistics offered on this launch on the native bus sector in England present info for monitoring tendencies in utilization and provision for a mode of transport used for about 49% of public transport journeys.
The figures on this launch relate to native bus providers. These are timetabled providers utilizing public service autos to hold passengers over comparatively brief distances, and are often eligible for Bus Companies Operators Grant. Lengthy distance coach providers, non-public rent work and closed contracts are excluded however college providers accessible to most people are included.
The vast majority of bus providers in England are supplied by non-public firms since deregulation of the business in 1986 in England outdoors London. Companies will be operated on a purely industrial foundation or with monetary help from native authorities (supported providers). London providers are operated by non-public firms however regulated by Transport for London (TfL).
There are 2 broad passenger sorts, concessionary and non-concessionary passengers. Concessionary passengers are both aged or disabled individuals (free to journey anyplace in England since April 2008) or younger individuals in native authorities the place such discretionary journey schemes exist. Extra detailed statistics on concessionary journey are revealed individually by DfT and obtainable on-line.
One other a part of the general public transport community in an area authority is versatile or demand responsive modes of transport, together with group transport. These types of transport are unlikely to be captured in these statistics as a result of the annual bus survey is accomplished by operators holding a Public Service Automobile (PSV) license quite than the Part 19 and 22 permits that almost all of group transport organisations function below.
There may be additionally a considerable amount of dwelling to highschool transport which is undertaken by PSV operators, however just isn’t included in these native bus statistics. Extra info on these will be discovered on particular person native authority web sites and the Division for Training publishes expenditure on college transport.
This publication covers information for the monetary 12 months ending 2022, which signifies that the information might be impacted by motion restrictions resulting from COVID-19 in Nice Britain albeit much less severely than the monetary 12 months ending 2021.
A sign of modifications in bus passenger quantity throughout this era will be present in separate datasets supplied to observe the usage of the transport system in the course of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Figures can be found all through the interval for Nice Britain excluding London. Figures for London are additionally obtainable, nonetheless these figures come from a distinct supply, however they’ve indicated utilization tendencies which were broadly consistent with the quarterly passenger information that was beforehand revealed. The discharge revealed by Transport for London (TfL) gives further info on bus providers throughout this era.
Ticketer Every day aggregated and anonymised passenger boardings and repair provision in comparison with the January 2020 reference week (third week of January 2020) have been supplied by Ticketer, one of many largest suppliers of Digital Ticketing Machines (ETMs) within the UK. It’s thought that, outdoors of TfL, West Midlands Nationwide Categorical, and Stagecoach, Ticketer is utilized by round 70% of operators. We’re assured that these figures are sturdy sufficient to point total tendencies at England outdoors of London stage. Passenger boardings will embrace bodily ticket gross sales, in addition to good playing cards, QR tickets, and the place the driving force counts passengers (akin to college runs). Service provision represents numbers of providers run by an operator for a particular car, route and driver. A service that has been cancelled wouldn’t be included. A determine of 100 means the identical stage as that seen on the identical day within the reference week. A determine greater than 100 exhibits a rise. A determine lower than 100 exhibits a lower.
Restoration from the coronavirus pandemic
Every day passenger boardings and repair provision
Knowledge supplied by Ticketer confirmed that in the course of the first UK lockdown (March 2020), passenger journeys in England excluding London fell to 10% of these on the identical day of the January reference week. As restrictions have been eased passenger journeys elevated, reaching as much as 58% when youngsters returned to highschool in September 2020.
Through the second English lockdown (November 2020) the lower in passenger boardings was much less extreme, falling to 40% of these on the identical day of the January reference week.
The appliance of Tier 4 restrictions to massive elements of England throughout December 2020 and the following third English lockdown in January 2021 had a bigger influence, with passenger boardings falling to 24% of these on the identical day of the January reference week. In February 2021, a roadmap for lifting the lockdown was revealed, which led to a number of steps being launched together with colleges reopening and permitting out of doors gatherings to happen.
In July 2021, most authorized limits on social contact have been eliminated in England and the remaining sectors of the financial system reopened. The variety of passenger boardings regularly elevated consistent with the lifting of those restrictions.
In December 2021, the Prime Minister introduced a transfer to plan B measures in England following the appearance of the Omicron variant. Though there was a drop in passenger journeys this didn’t fall so far as on the identical level within the 12 months earlier with passenger boardings falling to a low of 48% .
It’s possible that the introduction of the brand new measures alongside the diminished journey that sometimes happens on financial institution holidays over December led to the autumn within the variety of passenger journeys. In January, passenger boardings started to get better and plan B measures have been additionally lifted after which numbers continued to broadly get better to round 80% in March 2022.
Following an preliminary lower between March and June 2020, service provision remained persistently excessive. The introduction of the COVID-19 Bus Service Help Grant (CBSSG) is believed to have performed a big half on this alongside the return of youngsters to varsities in September. CBSSG got here to an finish on 31 August 2021 and was adopted by the Bus Restoration Grant (BRG) on the 1 September 2021, which is believed to have helped maintain the service ranges comparatively constant for the next months with numbers round 88% in March 2022.
Chart 1: 7 day common of passenger boardings and repair provision in England, excluding London, in comparison with the identical day within the third week of January 2020: March 15 2020 to March 31 2022
Every day passenger boardings by time of day
The pandemic and subsequent introduction of motion restrictions not solely impacted total passenger boardings but in addition affected the distribution of passenger boardings all through the day in England excluding London.
Chart 2 exhibits that in January 2020 passenger boardings have been at their highest in the course of the peak instances of 7am to 10am and 3pm to 6pm. Through the first UK lockdown (represented by the Could 2020 graph under) the distribution shifted, with passenger boardings at their highest in the midst of the day. Through the second English lockdown (November 2020), during which colleges remained open, passenger boardings have been once more at their highest throughout peak instances, nonetheless a better proportion of passengers travelled in the course of the peak hours than in January 2020.
In early January 2021, motion restrictions have been reintroduced albeit much less strict than these in place throughout the identical interval in 2020. Through the third English lockdown, with colleges closed the sample once more shifted, with passenger boardings at their highest in the midst of the day. As soon as restrictions had been eliminated following the street map out of lockdown the distribution of passenger boardings all through the day returned to the same sample to earlier than the pandemic as proven by the charts for September 2021 and January 2022.
Chart 2: Distribution of every day passenger boardings by time of day in England, excluding London, second Tuesday of the month
Passenger journeys
England
Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, 2.8 billion passenger journeys have been made by native bus in England, a rise of 1.3 billion or 79.6% in contrast with the monetary 12 months ending 2021. Chart 3 exhibits the pattern in native bus journeys in England between the monetary 12 months ending 2005 and the monetary 12 months ending 2022.
Over this era bus use noticed a slight enhance by means of to the monetary 12 months ending 2009, after which it remained pretty secure till the monetary 12 months ending 2015, earlier than regularly starting to fall.
Within the monetary 12 months ending 2021, there was a steep decline due to motion restrictions launched all year long to cut back the unfold of COVID-19. Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022 bus use began to get better albeit was nonetheless round a 3rd much less (30.3%) than within the monetary 12 months ending 2020.
Chart 3: Native bus passenger journeys in England, monetary years ending 2005 to 2022 – BUS01a
Why the excellence between London and England outdoors London? Buses in London, by means of Transport for London, function below a distinct regulatory framework to the remainder of England. The scale of the bus market in London and differing tendencies in bus use additionally makes it wise to dis-aggregate these two space sorts. Totally different dis-aggregations can be found on-line together with native authority stage and for city and rural areas.
London
Passenger journeys in London accounted for 52% of all passenger journeys made by native buses in England within the monetary 12 months ending 2022. There have been 1.5 billion passenger journeys made by native buses in London within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, a rise of 72.4% in contrast with the monetary 12 months ending 2021 (see chart 4). Earlier than the monetary 12 months ending 2013, bus use in London elevated yearly because the monetary 12 months ending 1999.
England outdoors London
Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, 1.4 billion passenger journeys have been made by native buses in England outdoors London, a rise of 88.2%. Previous to this bus use in England outdoors London has been on a downward pattern because the peak of two.41 billion passenger journeys within the monetary 12 months ending 2009 (see chart 4).
Chart 4: Native bus passenger journeys in England outdoors London and London, monetary years ending 2005 to 2022 (BUS01a)
Metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas
Figures for England outdoors London will be dis-aggregated additional into metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. Metropolitan areas are the 6 former metropolitan counties, that are: Larger Manchester
Merseyside
South Yorkshire
Tyne and Put on
West Midlands
West Yorkshire Non-metropolitan areas cowl the remaining county councils and unitary authorities in England outdoors London.
In metropolitan areas, there have been 0.6 billion passenger journeys within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, a rise of 78.1% from the monetary 12 months ending 2021. In non-metropolitan areas, there have been 0.8 billion passenger journeys, a rise of 96.5% from the monetary 12 months ending 2021.
Chart 5: Native bus passenger journeys in England outdoors London by space sort, monetary years ending 2005 to 2022 – (BUS01a)
Bus use by native authority
The two tables in chart 6 present the native authorities with the best and lowest passenger journeys per head of inhabitants within the monetary 12 months ending 2022 for England outdoors London. Usually, city native authorities have above common ranges of bus use when comparedwith rural areas.
Chart 6: Native bus passenger journeys per head by native authority highest and lowest 5: England outdoors London, monetary 12 months ending 2022 (BUS01f)
The common variety of bus passenger journeys per head in England outdoors London was 29 within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, that is greater than the earlier 12 months however decrease than within the monetary 12 months ending 2020, the place the determine was 42. The height variety of bus passenger journeys per head in England outdoors London was 55 within the monetary 12 months ending 2009.
There have been falls throughout all native authorities between the monetary years ending 2020 and 2021, with coronavirus the principle issue on this. Compared between the monetary years ending 2021 and 2022 there have been will increase throughout native authorities as restrictions have been lifted. These modifications within the common variety of bus passenger journeys per head for every native authority will be seen by the maps proven under.
Map 1: Journeys per head of inhabitants by native authority: England, monetary years ending 2020 to 2022 (BUS01f)
Concerning the information The bus passenger journeys per head figures offered listed here are estimates based mostly on returns supplied by bus operators. The most recent obtainable mid-year inhabitants estimates revealed by the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics have been used. Neither of those sources account for bus passengers utilizing the bus outdoors the native authority during which they reside. Customers must be conscious that figures for small areas will be affected by variations in how the information is recorded and processed and so particular person figures must be interpreted fastidiously.
Bus mileage
Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, 1.1 billion bus service miles have been run in England, a slight enhance of 9.6% in comparison with the monetary 12 months ending 2021 and 6.8% decrease than 2 years in the past.
In England outdoors London bus mileage noticed a rise of 12.7% in comparison with the monetary 12 months ending 2021 however was 9.2% decrease than within the monetary 12 months ending 2020. In London bus mileage additionally noticed a small enhance of two.2% in comparison with the monetary 12 months ending 2021 and returned to related ranges as within the monetary 12 months ending 2020. London bus mileage has modified little or no because the monetary 12 months ending 2005, fluctuating between round 285 and 300 million car miles.
Bus mileage was much less severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic than passenger journeys, largely as a result of COVID-19 Bus Service Help Grant (CBSSG) which was then adopted by the Bus Restoration Grant (BRG) which have been each launched to maintain providers working which will have in any other case operated at a loss, or not operated in any respect.
Chart 7: Automobile miles on native bus providers by space sort: England, monetary years ending 2005 to 2022 (BUS02a_mi)
Business and native authority supported bus mileage
In England outdoors London bus mileage noticed a lower of 24.9% because the monetary 12 months ending 2005. This has been pushed by a lower of 55.3% in native authority supported mileage, specifically in non-metropolitan areas.
Business mileage elevated by 0.8% from the monetary years ending 2005 to 2017, earlier than it decreased barely within the following 3 years, after which it decreased by 19.4% over the monetary 12 months ending 2021 due largely to the coronavirus pandemic. Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022 there was a rise in industrial mileage by 13.3% largely reflecting the continuing restoration from the coronavirus pandemic. Chart 8 exhibits these modifications over time for industrial bus mileage.
Supported mileage in England outdoors London regularly elevated from 21.7% within the monetary 12 months ending 2005 earlier than beginning to regularly lower from the monetary 12 months ending 2010 onwards. Chart 8 exhibits that lately this lower has flattened out, with supported mileage as a proportion of whole mileage at 12.9% within the monetary 12 months ending 2022.
Chart 8: Automobile miles on native bus providers by service sort: England outdoors London, monetary years ending 2005 to 2022 (BUS02a_mi)
Automobiles
The bullets under summarises the annual figures for the variety of buses utilized by native operators in England within the monetary 12 months ending 2022.
Abstract 31,000 buses utilized by native operators, of which: 9,000 buses have been in London
95% had CCTV
19% had charging factors
28% had free WiFi
92% have been enabled for fee by contactless financial institution card
93% of buses in England outdoors London have been ITSO good enabled
99% had been issued with an accessibility certificates
58% met Euro VI emission requirements in England (88% met these requirements in London).
79% have been diesel engines (excluding hybrid)
98% had an AVL system
46% supplied audio visible info
There was a lower within the variety of buses utilized by native bus operators in England by 4.2% from 33,000 within the monetary 12 months ending 2021 to 31,000 within the monetary 12 months ending 2022. The very best proportion of buses utilized by native bus operators was in non-metropolitan areas with 45.6% (see chart 9).
Chart 9: Proportion of buses utilized by native bus operators by space sort: England, monetary 12 months ending 2022 (BUS06b)
Extra granular information has been collected on car age this 12 months, and due to this fact the information beforehand offered in BUS0605 and BUS0611 have been outdated with figures on autos by 12 months of manufacture, obtainable ins BUS06f
The commonest years of manufacture for a bus in England within the monetary 12 months ending 2022 have been 2011 and 2016, with 2,439 and a couple of,417 buses being manufactured respectively.
Chart 10: Proportion of buses by age of manufacture: England, monetary 12 months ending 2022 (BUS06f)
Accessibility laws The Public Service Automobile Accessibility Laws 2000 (PSVAR) set out requirements for public service autos to make sure they’d be accessible to disabled individuals from 1 January 2017 on the newest (relying on bus sort). Buses that adjust to the accessibility laws are issued with an accessibility certificates. Some buses are appropriate for wheelchair entry by means of low flooring designs. Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, 99% of all buses in England had been issued with an accessibility certificates.
Tools on buses
Within the final 16 years, the supply of CCTV and Automated Automobile Location (AVL) units on buses has tremendously improved. Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, 95% of buses utilized by native operators in England have been geared up with CCTV, up from 44% within the monetary 12 months ending 2006.
Nearly all buses have been fitted with an AVL system (98% of buses in England, in contrast with 35% within the monetary 12 months ending 2007). Of all buses in England within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, 96% of AVL units have been getting used to observe punctuality and 93% used the AVL system to supply actual time service info to prospects.
Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, 28% of buses in England had free WiFi, which was broadly just like the monetary 12 months ending 2021 however a lower from 31% the 12 months earlier than.
Additionally 92% of buses in England have been EMV good card enabled (akin to settle for funds by this technique that meets the worldwide customary for credit score and debit fee playing cards based mostly on chip card know-how) this is a rise from 88% within the monetary 12 months ending 2021 (see chart 11). Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, 93% of buses utilized by native bus operators in England outdoors London have been ITSO good enabled for fee, up from 25% within the monetary 12 months ending 2011.
Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, 46% of buses supplied Audio Visible info to passengers. Nevertheless, this whole varies tremendously in numerous elements of the nation, 98% of buses in London present Audio Visible info, whereas solely 25% of buses in England outdoors London supplied Audio Visible info. The determine for England outdoors London has risen yearly because the monetary 12 months ending 2013 when it was 7%. Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, 35% of buses in England used the Audio Visible info system to supply route or route, subsequent cease and diversion info to passengers.
AVL, ITSO and EMV Automated Automobile Location is used to trace car location with a view to monitor punctuality and supply actual time service info to prospects. ITSO is an organisation which units a typical technical customary for good ticketing. Additional info on ITSO is on the market . EMV is a worldwide customary for credit score and debit fee playing cards based mostly on chip card know-how. The usual covers the processing of credit score and debit card funds utilizing a card that incorporates a microprocessor chip. The place a machine is EMV enabled for fee by contactless financial institution card (or cellphones emulating these, for instance, Android Pay or Apple Pay) because of this the terminal accepts EMV transactions of this nature.
Chart 11: Proportion of buses fitted with CCTV, AVL, Audio Visible and EMV good enabled: England, monetary 12 months ending 2022 in contrast with earlier years (BUS06d)
Bus gasoline sort emissions
Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, 58% of buses in England met the newest Euro VI emissions requirements. 19% and eight% of buses met older Euro V and Euro IV requirements, respectively. London noticed greater prevalence of Euro VI buses than the remainder of England with 88% assembly Euro VI requirements (chart 12).
Emissions requirements The emission requirements for vans (lorries) and buses are outlined by engine power output in g/kWh. That is in contrast to the emission requirements for passenger automobiles and lightweight industrial autos, that are outlined by car driving distance in g/km – a normal comparability to passenger automobiles is due to this fact not potential. Euro VI is at present the best regulated emissions customary for buses. For extra info and the degrees of emissions for every class see the European emission requirements.
Chart 12: Proportion of native buses by Emissions requirements in England, monetary 12 months ending 2022 (BUS06e)
Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, 79% of all buses had a diesel gasoline engine. An extra 14% have been diesel-hybrid engine, 3% have been electrical and a really small quantity have been hydrogen (chart 13).
Chart 13: Proportion of native buses by gasoline sort in England, monetary 12 months ending 2022 (BUS06e)
Monetary outlook
Bus fares
Within the 12 months to March 2022, native bus fares in England noticed a rise of three.6%. This compares with a 7% enhance within the annual all objects Shopper Costs Index charge that means bus fares have fallen in actual phrases. The rise in native bus fares in England was pushed by 5.9% enhance in London and a couple of.5% enhance in non-metropolitan areas. In England outdoors London, native bus fares elevated by 1.8%.
Native bus fares in England elevated by 87% between March 2005 and March 2022. Over this era bus fares have risen at a quicker charge in metropolitan areas (97%) than in non-metropolitan areas (79%) and London (83%). The all objects Shopper Value Index (CPI) has elevated by 51% over the identical interval. See quarterly releases for extra element.
Retail Value Index (RPI) figures from the Workplace of Nationwide Statistics (ONS) present that at March 2022 common bus and coach fares within the UK have elevated by 566% because the monetary 12 months ending 1987, in comparison with 457% for rail fares and 308% for motoring prices (see chart 14). It must be famous that these figures do additionally embrace coach fares which are inclined to see a seasonal pattern for worth rises in summer season and December. This has contributed to among the will increase noticed within the index at instances when native bus fares have remained pretty fixed, for instance the big will increase in 2017 and 2020.
Quarterly bus statistics launch The division is reviewing the vary of bus statistics that it produces, with a view to modernising these to make sure that they meet consumer wants. As a part of this course of, the division outlined their intention to stop the publication of the quarterly bus passenger journey estimates and the quarterly bus statistics report (in html format). As there was no vital suggestions obtained on this proposal it was determined to enact this variation efficient from the Winter 2022 to 2023 quarterly launch, whereas persevering with to publish the quarterly bus fares statistics, on a quarterly foundation, within the type of a desk. Additional element on these modifications will be discovered on the bus statistics dwelling web page.
Chart 14: Retail Value Index for bus and coach fares, rail fares and motoring expenditure, UK, quarterly since March 1987 (ONS sequence(DOCX), (DOCW), (CHBK)
Authorities help
Central and native authorities help for native bus providers has historically consisted of funds for supported providers, Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) and concessionary journey reimbursement (successfully a subsidy to concessionary passengers).
Along with this, in response to the influence of the pandemic on the bus sector, there has additionally been the introduction of the COVID-19 Bus Service Help Grant (CBSSG) that ran from April 2020 by means of to the top of August 2021, after which the Bus Restoration Grant (BRG) was launched on the 1 September 2021. Knowledge for presidency help comes from the Division for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).
Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, estimated whole internet help paid in England was £2.9 billion, of which £0.9 billion (31.1%) was for concessionary journey. The quantity for concessionary journey is decrease in contrast with a few years in the past however that is reflective of the decrease variety of concessionary passengers following the pandemic.
Chart 15 exhibits whole internet help for England outdoors London and London respectively. The figures for England outdoors London elevated up till the monetary 12 months ending 2010 earlier than regularly declining till the monetary 12 months ending 2021. London has adopted the same sample over the identical interval with whole internet help broadly growing up till the monetary 12 months ending 2010, after which there was a extra stage pattern between the monetary years ending 2013 and 2018 earlier than reducing between the monetary years ending 2019 and 2020.
For each England outdoors London and London there was a big enhance in whole internet help between the monetary years ending 2020 and 2021, though this has fallen barely within the monetary 12 months ending 2022 it’s nonetheless at a stage greater than within the monetary 12 months ending 2020. The rise between the monetary years ending 2020 and 2021 is reflective of the extra help obtained on account of the results of the coronavirus pandemic.
Chart 15: Complete internet help by central and native authorities for native bus providers and concessionary journey by space sort: England, monetary years ending 2005 to 2022 (monetary 12 months ending 2022 costs, billions) (BUS05bi)
BSOG That is one type of central authorities help for buses. The speed at which BSOG is paid was minimize by 20% from April 2012. From October 2013, BSOG for London was devolved to Transport for London.
Operator income
Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, the full estimated working income for native bus providers in England was £5.4 billion. Passenger fare receipts made up the biggest proportion of working income: £2.3 billion or 42.8% of working income (see chart 16). Income from passenger receipts has elevated by 84.4% in contrast with the earlier 12 months which was the bottom reported determine and displays fewer passenger numbers in the course of the pandemic. It’s nonetheless nonetheless 30.6% decrease than within the monetary 12 months ending 2020 and the years previous to that, indicating that as on the finish of the monetary 12 months the restoration is in need of reaching ranges seen earlier than the pandemic.
There was a lower in BSOG by 50.7% in actual phrases between the monetary years ending 2005 and 2022. Within the monetary 12 months ending 2005, BSOG made up 8.5% of working income however within the monetary 12 months ending 2022 this proportion had fallen to 4.5%. A few of this lower might be resulting from BSOG in London being devolved to Transport for London.
Working income from concessionary fare reimbursement has elevated by almost 32% in actual phrases between the monetary years ending 2005 and 2022 from £0.7 billion to £0.9 billion. This enhance displays the broader protection of the concessionary journey scheme (shifting from an area authority to a nationwide scheme), elevated eligibility and a bigger proportion of aged individuals within the wider inhabitants.
Along with this, in response to the influence of the pandemic on the bus sector there has additionally been the introduction of the COVID-19 Bus Service Help Grant (CBSSG) that ran from April 2020 by means of to the top of August 2021, after which the Bus Restoration Grant (BRG) was launched on the 1 September 2021. Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, this accounted for £0.5 billion (8.4%) of the working income for native bus providers in England.
Varieties of income for operators Fare receipts: on and off bus fares
on and off bus fares Public transport help: the full of all native authorities’ gross prices incurred in help of bus providers, both straight or by subsidies to operators or people.
the full of all native authorities’ gross prices incurred in help of bus providers, both straight or by subsidies to operators or people. Concessionary reimbursement: from Native authorities. As for carrying concessionary passengers
from Native authorities. As for carrying concessionary passengers BSOG: gasoline obligation rebate from DfT. Different sources of earnings excluded.
Chart 16: Working income for native bus providers by income sort: England, monetary years ending 2005 and 2022 (monetary 12 months ending 2022 costs) (BUS05aii)
Operator prices
In England outdoors London, between the monetary years ending 2005 and 2022, operator prices for native bus providers elevated from £3.1 billion to £3.2 billion in actual phrases (see chart 17). This was a median annual actual phrases enhance of two.9%. Nevertheless, operator prices have broadly been falling since a excessive of £3.6 billion within the monetary 12 months ending 2010. The pandemic brought on a bigger lower to happen and so this meant working prices really elevated in comparison with the monetary 12 months ending 2021. A extra detailed index of bus business price is compiled by the Confederation of Passenger Transport.
Chart 17: Working price for native bus providers: England outdoors London, the monetary years ending 2005 to 2022 (monetary 12 months ending 2022 costs) (BUS04eii)
Bus and coach employees and drivers
Bus employees
Native bus operators in England employed an estimated 88,000 full-time equal employees, together with upkeep and admin employees, as at March 2022 see desk BUS07b. This was a lower of 6.9% in comparison with 2021 and is predicated on PSV survey figures.
Figures from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings within the monetary 12 months ending 2022 state that bus drivers work on common 40 hours per week, greater than the nationwide common of 37 hours per week, and earn £528.10 per week, under the nationwide common of £532.50.
The common age of bus and coach drivers within the monetary 12 months ending 2022 was 52, which has elevated over time with a decrease determine of 47 within the monetary 12 months ending 2009 the earliest 12 months for which information is reported. The proportion of drivers that have been between 53 to 59 years of age or 60 years of age or over have been greater than different teams accounting for 32% and 24% respectively of all bus drivers, as proven in chart 18.
The vast majority of bus drivers have been male at 88%. This was a rise of 4.8% in comparison with monetary 12 months ending 2021.
Chart 18: Age vary of bus and coach drivers, England, monetary 12 months ending 2021 in contrast with the monetary 12 months ending 2022 (Labour Drive Survey)
ONS survey information The Labour Drive Survey (LFS) is a big research of the employment circumstances of the UK inhabitants, run by the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics (ONS). The information are outlined utilizing the Commonplace occupational classification system, SOC 2010, as “Bus and coach drivers” (code 8213), which can include each bus and coach drivers. Because the pattern dimension for bus and coach drivers throughout the LFS is comparatively small, it’s topic to excessive variability and error vary. As such warning must be used when utilizing this information. These figures are based mostly on January to March 2022 responses. The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) gives info on working hours and earnings.
Workers incapacity consciousness coaching
Latest laws requiring drivers to be skilled in incapacity consciousness got here into impact from March 2018. As at March 2022, 99% of bus operators required drivers to fulfill this requirement.
Bus punctuality information: Bus punctuality statistics present one measure of the efficiency of native bus providers based mostly on information reported by native authorities who monitor punctuality utilizing guide surveys or information from digital programs. There are totally different measures of punctuality for frequent and non-frequent providers: a frequent service is one which has six or extra buses per hour. A number of areas don’t have any frequent providers. Bus timetable information: Timetable information gives extra detailed info on when and the place bus providers run, and who operates them, than the opposite sources on this publication. An evaluation of bus timetable information from the Traveline Nationwide Dataset was included within the 2016 publication (see web page 12 of the discharge). Frequent providers: Knowledge on the common extra ready time for frequent providers by native authority in England will be present in desk assortment BUS09b.
Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, 84% of non-frequent providers in England ran on time. This was a lower in comparison with the monetary 12 months ending 2021, which was the best reported determine because the information was first revealed (see chart 19). ‘On time’ is outlined as between 1 minute early and 5 minutes 59 seconds late.
On the regional stage, bus service punctuality various between 76% and 90%. On the native authority stage, there was higher variation ranging between 68% and 100%.
Chart 19: Proportion of non-frequent providers working on time: England, monetary years ending 2008 to 2022 BUS09a
Map 2: Proportion of non-frequent providers working on time: England, monetary 12 months ending 2022 BUS09a
Different sources of bus information
The next part incorporates information on buses from sources apart from the PSV or punctuality survey. It comes from a mixture of Division for Transport and exterior sources and is revealed to totally different timescales. Beneath is a short define of among the information sources.
Bus passenger satisfaction
Nice Britain outdoors of London – October 2021 to March 2022
The Transport Focus Bus Consumer Weekly Survey gathers info on ranges of satisfaction of bus customers with their most up-to-date journey. As a result of coronavirus pandemic a distinct survey technique has been used to collect this info from the earlier Bus Passenger Survey, so direct comparisons with earlier years’ information can’t be made.
In October 2021 to March 2022, 87% of bus passengers making journeys in Nice Britain outdoors London have been happy with their journey. Satisfaction with the time the journey took was barely decrease, at 85%, whereas for punctuality, 74% of passengers have been happy. Amongst passengers aged 18 to 64 years, 63% have been happy with the worth for cash of their ticket.
Bus Consumer Weekly Survey Knowledge from the Bus Customers Weekly Survey is managed by the impartial transport consumer watchdog Transport Focus. Be aware that the statistics from the survey will not be Nationwide Statistics. The 2021 survey was performed throughout Nice Britain utilizing the Wednesday to Friday and weekend waves of Yonder Consulting’s on-line omnibus (figures proven are for journeys between October 2021 and March 2022). In whole, roughly 4,000 adults per week have been screened to establish those that had made a journey on a bus outdoors London within the final seven days (equating to round 500 bus customers per week on common). These passengers have been then requested about their experiences of travelling by bus outdoors London and the way happy they have been with their most up-to-date bus journey.
London monetary 12 months ending 2022
Transport for London collects satisfaction information on a variety of bus service options from a pattern of passengers each quarter, based mostly on the journey they’ve simply made. Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, 78% of bus passengers in London have been happy with their journey, which is one proportion level greater than the monetary 12 months ending 2021 however decrease than 85% within the monetary 12 months ending 2020.
TfL Buyer Satisfaction Survey
Extra info on bus satisfaction will be discovered on the TfL web site.
Nationwide Journey Survey
Nationwide Journey Survey (NTS)
The Nationwide Journey Survey (NTS) is a family survey carried out on over 16,000 people in England yearly. Nevertheless, the outcomes on this launch might be based mostly on the 2021 outcomes from a survey of just below 7,000 people. The coronavirus pandemic has had a considerable influence on the journey tendencies on this interval. For extra info, see the NTS statistics dwelling web page.
The NTS gathers information on private journey behaviour throughout England. Knowledge from the NTS can be utilized to analyse the customers of native bus providers.
On common individuals: make 26 native bus journeys per individual per 12 months.
journey 132 miles by native bus per individual per 12 months.
spend 33 minutes per native bus journey in London and 39 minutes per different native bus journey. These characterize:
3.5% of journeys throughout all modes of transport.
3.1% of the gap travelled throughout all modes of transport.
Why do individuals journey by native bus?
The commonest goal for native bus journey in 2021 was commuting (24.8%). This was additionally the case within the earlier 12 months. As proven in chart 20 under this was intently adopted by purchasing (21.9%), leisure (21.2%) and training (19%).
Chart 20: Function share of native bus journeys, 2021 NTS0409
How usually do individuals use native bus providers?
Over half of individuals (64%) hardly ever use an area bus (lower than every year) whereas 1 / 4 journey by native bus on at the least a month-to-month foundation (25%) with the rest (11%) travelling lower than a month-to-month foundation however at the least every year (see chart 21).
Chart 21: Frequency of native bus utilization, England, 2021 NTS0313
How lengthy are native bus journeys?
In 2021, 45.5% of native bus journeys have been between 2 and 5 miles (see chart 22). This was virtually double the proportion of journeys of the identical distance travelled by all modes (25.6%). In distinction, 45.8% of journeys by all modes have been below 2 miles whereas 13.5% of native bus journeys have been below 2 miles.
Chart 22: Journey size distribution, for native bus journeys and all modes, England, 2021 NTS0308
Who makes use of native bus providers?
Automotive entry
In 2021, on common, individuals in households with out entry to a automobile revamped 5 instances as many native bus journeys than these with entry to a automobile (87 journeys per individual versus 15 journeys per individual respectively). Native bus providers account for over half of all public transport journeys made by individuals in households with out entry to a automobile (52%) and below half of all public transport journeys made by individuals in households with entry to a automobile (47%) (see chart 23).
Chart 23: Native bus journeys per individual per 12 months by automobile possession, England, 2021 NTS0702
Mobility difficulties
In 2021, the variety of native bus journeys made by adults aged 16 or over with mobility difficulties decreased from 64 journeys per individual per 12 months in 2011 to twenty-eight journeys per individual per 12 months (see chart 24). Whereas this has been steadily reducing over this era, a big lower was seen between 2019 and 2020 as a result of coronavirus pandemic. In 2021, this has recovered barely however remains to be decrease than 39 journeys per individual in 2019.
In annually for which information has been collected adults with mobility difficulties have used native buses lower than individuals who don’t. In 2021 nonetheless, the variety of bus journeys made by adults with mobility difficulties was barely greater than these individuals who don’t (28 journeys per individual versus 27 journeys per individual in 2021). Native bus utilization makes up 6% of all journeys for adults with mobility difficulties, in comparison with 2% for many who don’t. These figures have decreased from 10% and 6% respectively in 2011.
Chart 24: Native bus journeys per individual per 12 months, by mobility problem, England, 2021 NTS0709
Mobility difficulties: The NTS definition of getting a mobility problem is predicated on these adults who responded to say they’ve difficulties travelling on foot, by bus or each.
Family earnings:
In 2021, individuals within the lowest actual earnings quintile made 44 native bus journeys on common, greater than every other earnings quintile, whereas these within the highest earnings quintile made the least (16 native bus journeys on common).
Age and intercourse:
In 2021, on common, girls made extra native bus journeys than males at 30 and 23 journeys per individual per 12 months respectively (see chart 25). This compares to the identical variety of journeys being taken for each women and men within the earlier 12 months. For each women and men most journeys per 12 months have been made by individuals throughout the 17 to twenty age group.
Chart 25: Native bus journeys per individual per 12 months, by age and intercourse, England, 2021 NTS0601
Different DfT sources containing bus information
Transport Statistics Nice Britain (TSGB) – incorporates further modal comparisons, in addition to offering a single publication containing statistics throughout all transport themes and modes.
Highway accident statistics – gives detailed statistics about reported private damage street collisions for Nice Britain, autos and casualties concerned.
Pace compliance statistics – incorporates info on velocity compliance with a variable for lengthy and brief buses. Additionally consists of distance to car in entrance.
Highway Visitors statistics – Highway visitors statistics present estimates of the car miles travelled annually in Nice Britain by car sort, street class and area.
Background info
Nationwide Bus Technique
In September 2019, the federal government set out how it will launch a revolution in bus providers – delivering a greater deal for bus customers and committing to publishing a Nationwide Bus Technique. In February 2020, the Prime Minister introduced that bus providers throughout the nation could be remodeled with easier fares, 1000’s of recent buses, improved routes and better frequencies.
Bus Again Higher, the nationwide bus technique for England was revealed in March 2021 and units out the imaginative and prescient and alternative to ship higher bus providers for passengers throughout England, by means of bold and far-reaching reform of how providers are deliberate and delivered.
Customers and makes use of of those statistics
These statistics present key info on tendencies within the bus sector. Inside the Division for Transport they’re used for:
ministerial briefing and to reply public enquiries
as background to coverage growth
monitoring tendencies within the bus sector, for instance in relation to accessible buses
bus punctuality figures to observe progress for the DfT marketing strategy indicator associated to the proportion of buses working on time
by economists in modelling coverage choices
Outdoors DfT identified makes use of embrace:
passenger journeys figures are used as a measure of the general well being/state of the business, for instance by non-public analysis organisations, and are sometimes reported within the commerce press;
native authorities could use these statistics to check tendencies of their space with the nationwide image;
these statistics have additionally supplied background info for reviews by the Transport Choose Committee and Competitors Fee;
bus fares information are utilized by the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics in calculating the Retail and Shopper Value Indices and within the Nationwide Accounts.
Nationwide Statistics
These statistics have been designated as Nationwide Statistics in June 2012. The continued designation was confirmed in February 2013.
Nationwide Statistics are produced to excessive skilled requirements set out within the Nationwide Statistics Code of Follow. They bear common high quality assurance evaluations to make sure they meet buyer wants. Particulars of ministers and officers who obtain pre-release entry to those statistics as much as 24 hours earlier than launch can be found.
Native authorities
Native authority areas match the Journey Concession Authorities as set out within the concessionary journey publication, masking 90 areas: the 89 TCAs outdoors London and London.
The subsequent annual bus statistics are scheduled to be revealed in Autumn 2023.
Strengths and weaknesses of the information
These statistics are derived from plenty of sources, with the principle supply being the DfT annual Public Service Automobile (PSV) survey of over 500 native bus operators which gives information on passenger journeys, car miles, income and prices, and autos and employees. Nevertheless, sure statistics (for instance annual statistics on bus fares) are derived from smaller surveys of the bigger bus operators, or from native authorities. Info on passenger journeys and bus mileage for London is supplied by Transport for London.
Many of those statistics have been collected on a broadly comparable foundation from operators for a few years. Nevertheless, following revisions to the methodology used to compile the revealed figures, the monetary 12 months ending 2005 is the earliest 12 months for which figures are comparable on precisely the identical foundation.
The PSV survey makes use of imputation methods to derive key figures for operators who have been both not chosen within the pattern for that 12 months, or who didn’t reply. Every so often, imputations for earlier years will be improved utilizing directly-reported information for later years. Minor revisions to back-data can happen in consequence, though tendencies are hardly ever affected substantively.
For the important thing indicators (passenger journeys and car miles operated) the information supplied by operators covers round 95% of the full determine, with the rest imputed. This may even have an effect on earlier 12 months’s information, the place extra updated info is used to impute information, often restricted to the two previous years and modifications of below 1% to beforehand reported figures. In uncommon occurrences we obtain corrections to earlier information which can change figures to a extra vital stage notably at native authority stage, together with re-allocations throughout native authority boundaries.
Comparability with different sources means that, at mixture (nationwide) stage, the statistics present a fairly sturdy measure of ranges and broad tendencies. Nevertheless, figures representing smaller teams of operators and single 12 months on 12 months modifications must be handled with warning as these are extra inclined to measurement errors (for instance, an inaccurate return by an operator, or a change in an operator’s technique of manufacturing the figures) which usually tend to even out on the nationwide stage. This has been extra related lately as many firms have switched to ticketing machines and information options to report key information.
As such, regional and notably native authority stage figures must be interpreted with warning. Native authority stage information will change between boundaries and it isn’t at all times potential to backdate the modifications. Additional particulars of the information sources and strategies used within the manufacturing of those statistics will be discovered within the background high quality report.
Directions for printing and saving
Relying on which browser you employ and the kind of system you employ (akin to a cell or laptop computer) these directions could range.
Learn how to search
Choose Ctrl and F on a Home windows laptop computer or Command and F on a Mac.
It will open a search field within the prime right-hand nook of the web page. Sort the phrase you’re in search of within the search bar and press enter.
Your browser will spotlight the phrase, often in yellow, wherever it seems on the web page. Press enter to maneuver to the subsequent place it seems.
Tablets and cell units usually have the choice to “discover in textual content” and “print or save” of their sharing or fast choices menu of their browser, however it will range by system mannequin.
