About this launch This statistical launch presents the most recent annual statistics on the native bus sector. Native bus companies use public service automobiles (PSVs) to hold passengers paying separate fares over quick distances. A lot of the knowledge are obtained from the Division for Transport’s (DfT) annual survey of native bus operators. Figures are introduced for England, according to 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 want 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 The brand new desk index offers mapping between the outdated and new tables. Historic bus statistical knowledge tables and discontinued bus statistics knowledge 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 nevertheless 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 over the past couple of years, largely because of the COVID-19 Bus Service Help Grant (CBSSG) after which the Bus Restoration Grant (BRG) which was launched to maintain companies 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 exterior London (metropolitan areas and non metropolitan areas), nation and Nice Britain.
Native bus journeys Space Passenger Journeys (billions), monetary 12 months ending 2022 Share change in comparison with monetary 12 months ending 2021 Share change in comparison with monetary 12 months ending 2020 Automobile Mileage (billions) monetary 12 months ending 2022 Share change in comparison with monetary 12 months ending 2021 Share 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 exterior 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 when put next with the monetary 12 months ending 2020 (33.7%). In England exterior 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 data from Journey Concession Authorities on concessionary passholder numbers, whole expenditure on concessionary journey and discretionary concessions supplied.
Issues you must know
The statistics introduced on this launch on the native bus sector in England present data 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 companies. These are timetabled companies utilizing public service automobiles to hold passengers over comparatively quick distances, and are normally eligible for Bus Companies Operators Grant. Lengthy distance coach companies, personal rent work and closed contracts are excluded however faculty companies accessible to most of the people are included.
The vast majority of bus companies in England are offered by personal corporations since deregulation of the business in 1986 in England exterior London. Companies may be operated on a purely industrial foundation or with monetary help from native authorities (supported companies). London companies are operated by personal corporations however regulated by Transport for London (TfL).
There are 2 broad passenger varieties, 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 a neighborhood 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 moderately than the Part 19 and 22 permits that almost all of group transport organisations function underneath.
There may be additionally a considerable amount of residence to highschool transport which is undertaken by PSV operators, however is just not included in these native bus statistics. Extra data on these may be discovered on particular person native authority web sites and the Division for Training publishes expenditure on faculty transport.
This publication covers knowledge for the monetary 12 months ending 2022, which implies that the information will likely be impacted by motion restrictions because of COVID-19 in Nice Britain albeit much less severely than the monetary 12 months ending 2021.
A sign of adjustments in bus passenger quantity throughout this era may be present in separate datasets offered to watch using the transport system throughout the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Figures can be found all through the interval for Nice Britain excluding London. Figures for London are additionally obtainable, nevertheless these figures come from a unique supply, however they’ve indicated utilization tendencies which were broadly according to the quarterly passenger knowledge that was beforehand revealed. The discharge revealed by Transport for London (TfL) offers further data on bus companies throughout this era.
Ticketer Day by day aggregated and anonymised passenger boardings and repair provision in comparison with the January 2020 reference week (third week of January 2020) have been offered by Ticketer, one of many largest suppliers of Digital Ticketing Machines (ETMs) within the UK. It’s thought that, exterior of TfL, West Midlands Nationwide Specific, and Stagecoach, Ticketer is utilized by round 70% of operators. We’re assured that these figures are sturdy sufficient to point general tendencies at England exterior of London stage. Passenger boardings will embody bodily ticket gross sales, in addition to sensible playing cards, QR tickets, and the place the driving force counts passengers (corresponding to faculty runs). Service provision represents numbers of companies run by an operator for a selected automobile, path 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 larger than 100 reveals a rise. A determine lower than 100 reveals a lower.
Restoration from the coronavirus pandemic
Day by day passenger boardings and repair provision
Knowledge offered by Ticketer confirmed that throughout 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.
In the course of 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 giant elements of England throughout December 2020 and the following third English lockdown in January 2021 had a bigger impression, 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 step by step elevated according to 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 decreased journey that usually happens on financial institution holidays over December led to the autumn within the variety of passenger journeys. In January, passenger boardings started to get well and plan B measures have been additionally lifted after which numbers continued to broadly get well to round 80% in March 2022.
Following an preliminary lower between March and June 2020, service provision remained constantly excessive. The introduction of the COVID-19 Bus Service Help Grant (CBSSG) is assumed to have performed a big half on this alongside the return of kids 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 assumed to have helped preserve 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
Day by day passenger boardings by time of day
The pandemic and subsequent introduction of motion restrictions not solely impacted general passenger boardings but additionally affected the distribution of passenger boardings all through the day in England excluding London.
Chart 2 reveals that in January 2020 passenger boardings have been at their highest throughout the peak occasions of 7am to 10am and 3pm to 6pm. In the course of the first UK lockdown (represented by the Could 2020 graph beneath) the distribution shifted, with passenger boardings at their highest in the course of the day. In the course of the second English lockdown (November 2020), by which colleges remained open, passenger boardings have been once more at their highest throughout peak occasions, nevertheless a better share of passengers travelled throughout 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. In the course of the third English lockdown, with colleges closed the sample once more shifted, with passenger boardings at their highest in the course 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 an analogous 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 reveals 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 improve by means of to the monetary 12 months ending 2009, after which it remained pretty steady till the monetary 12 months ending 2015, earlier than step by step starting to fall.
Within the monetary 12 months ending 2021, there was a steep decline due to motion restrictions launched all year long to scale back the unfold of COVID-19. Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022 bus use began to get well 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 exterior London? Buses in London, by means of Transport for London, function underneath a unique regulatory framework to the remainder of England. The scale of the bus market in London and differing tendencies in bus use additionally makes it smart to dis-aggregate these two space varieties. Completely 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 for the reason that monetary 12 months ending 1999.
England exterior London
Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, 1.4 billion passenger journeys have been made by native buses in England exterior London, a rise of 88.2%. Previous to this bus use in England exterior London has been on a downward pattern for the reason that 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 exterior London and London, monetary years ending 2005 to 2022 (BUS01a)
Metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas
Figures for England exterior London may be dis-aggregated additional into metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. Metropolitan areas are the 6 former metropolitan counties, that are: Higher 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 exterior 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 exterior 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 exterior 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 exterior London, monetary 12 months ending 2022 (BUS01f)
The typical variety of bus passenger journeys per head in England exterior London was 29 within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, that is larger 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 exterior 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 primary 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 adjustments within the common variety of bus passenger journeys per head for every native authority may be seen by the maps proven beneath.
Map 1: Journeys per head of inhabitants by native authority: England, monetary years ending 2020 to 2022 (BUS01f)
Concerning the knowledge The bus passenger journeys per head figures introduced listed below are estimates based mostly on returns offered by bus operators. The newest 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 exterior the native authority by which they reside. Customers needs to be conscious that figures for small areas may be affected by variations in how the information is recorded and processed and so particular person figures needs to 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 improve of 9.6% when put next with the monetary 12 months ending 2021 and 6.8% decrease than 2 years in the past.
In England exterior 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 improve of two.2% in comparison with the monetary 12 months ending 2021 and returned to comparable ranges as within the monetary 12 months ending 2020. London bus mileage has modified little or no for the reason that monetary 12 months ending 2005, fluctuating between round 285 and 300 million automobile miles.
Bus mileage was much less severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic than passenger journeys, largely because of the COVID-19 Bus Service Help Grant (CBSSG) which was then adopted by the Bus Restoration Grant (BRG) which have been each launched to maintain companies 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 companies by space sort: England, monetary years ending 2005 to 2022 (BUS02a_mi)
Industrial and native authority supported bus mileage
In England exterior London bus mileage noticed a lower of 24.9% for the reason that 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.
Industrial 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 reveals these adjustments over time for industrial bus mileage.
Supported mileage in England exterior London step by step elevated from 21.7% within the monetary 12 months ending 2005 earlier than beginning to step by step lower from the monetary 12 months ending 2010 onwards. Chart 8 reveals that in recent times this lower has flattened out, with supported mileage as a share of whole mileage at 12.9% within the monetary 12 months ending 2022.
Chart 8: Automobile miles on native bus companies by service sort: England exterior London, monetary years ending 2005 to 2022 (BUS02a_mi)
Automobiles
The bullets beneath 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 cost by contactless financial institution card
93% of buses in England exterior London have been ITSO sensible 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 machine
46% offered audio visible data
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 knowledge has been collected on automobile age this 12 months, and due to this fact the information beforehand introduced in BUS0605 and BUS0611 have been outdated with figures on automobiles by 12 months of manufacture, obtainable ins BUS06f
The most typical 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 pair 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 Rules 2000 (PSVAR) set out requirements for public service automobiles to make sure they might 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.
Gear on buses
Within the final 16 years, the availability of CCTV and Automated Automobile Location (AVL) units on buses has vastly 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.
Virtually all buses have been fitted with an AVL machine (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 watch punctuality and 93% used the AVL machine to supply actual time service data 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 sensible card enabled (corresponding to settle for funds by this methodology that meets the worldwide normal for credit score and debit cost playing cards based mostly on chip card expertise) 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 exterior London have been ITSO sensible enabled for cost, up from 25% within the monetary 12 months ending 2011.
Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, 46% of buses offered Audio Visible data to passengers. Nevertheless, this whole varies vastly in several elements of the nation, 98% of buses in London present Audio Visible data, whereas solely 25% of buses in England exterior London offered Audio Visible data. The determine for England exterior London has risen yearly for the reason that 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 data system to supply route or path, subsequent cease and diversion data to passengers.
AVL, ITSO and EMV Automated Automobile Location is used to trace automobile location with a view to monitor punctuality and supply actual time service data to prospects. ITSO is an organisation which units a standard technical normal for sensible ticketing. Additional data on ITSO is out there . EMV is a worldwide normal for credit score and debit cost playing cards based mostly on chip card expertise. The usual covers the processing of credit score and debit card funds utilizing a card that comprises a microprocessor chip. The place a machine is EMV enabled for cost by contactless financial institution card (or cellphones emulating these, for instance, Android Pay or Apple Pay) which means that the terminal accepts EMV transactions of this nature.
Chart 11: Share of buses fitted with CCTV, AVL, Audio Visible and EMV sensible 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 most recent Euro VI emissions requirements. 19% and eight% of buses met older Euro V and Euro IV requirements, respectively. London noticed larger 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 vitality output in g/kWh. That is in contrast to the emission requirements for passenger automobiles and lightweight industrial automobiles, that are outlined by automobile driving distance in g/km – a normal comparability to passenger automobiles is due to this fact not attainable. Euro VI is at present the best regulated emissions normal for buses. For extra data and the degrees of emissions for every class see the European emission requirements.
Chart 12: Share 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: Share 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% improve within the annual all objects Client Costs Index price which means bus fares have fallen in actual phrases. The rise in native bus fares in England was pushed by 5.9% improve in London and a pair of.5% improve in non-metropolitan areas. In England exterior 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 sooner price in metropolitan areas (97%) than in non-metropolitan areas (79%) and London (83%). The all objects Client Worth Index (CPI) has elevated by 51% over the identical interval. See quarterly releases for extra element.
Retail Worth 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% for the reason that monetary 12 months ending 1987, in comparison with 457% for rail fares and 308% for motoring prices (see chart 14). It needs to be famous that these figures do additionally embody 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 occasions when native bus fares have remained pretty fixed, for instance the massive 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 important suggestions obtained on this proposal it was determined to enact this transformation 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 adjustments may be discovered on the bus statistics residence web page.
Chart 14: Retail Worth Index for bus and coach fares, rail fares and motoring expenditure, UK, quarterly since March 1987 (ONS collection(DOCX), (DOCW), (CHBK)
Authorities help
Central and native authorities help for native bus companies has historically consisted of funds for supported companies, Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) and concessionary journey reimbursement (successfully a subsidy to concessionary passengers).
Along with this, in response to the impression 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 web 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 reveals whole web help for England exterior London and London respectively. The figures for England exterior London elevated up till the monetary 12 months ending 2010 earlier than step by step declining till the monetary 12 months ending 2021. London has adopted an analogous sample over the identical interval with whole web 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 lowering between the monetary years ending 2019 and 2020.
For each England exterior London and London there was a big improve in whole web 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 larger 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 consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.
Chart 15: Complete web help by central and native authorities for native bus companies 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 lower 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 whole estimated working income for native bus companies in England was £5.4 billion. Passenger fare receipts made up the most important 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 throughout the pandemic. It’s nevertheless 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 wanting 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 will likely be because of 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 improve displays the broader protection of the concessionary journey scheme (shifting from a neighborhood 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 impression 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 companies in England.
Forms of income for operators Fare receipts: on and off bus fares
on and off bus fares Public transport help: the whole of all native authorities’ gross prices incurred in help of bus companies, both immediately or by subsidies to operators or people.
the whole of all native authorities’ gross prices incurred in help of bus companies, both immediately 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 responsibility rebate from DfT. Different sources of earnings excluded.
Chart 16: Working income for native bus companies by income sort: England, monetary years ending 2005 and 2022 (monetary 12 months ending 2022 costs) (BUS05aii)
Operator prices
In England exterior London, between the monetary years ending 2005 and 2022, operator prices for native bus companies elevated from £3.1 billion to £3.2 billion in actual phrases (see chart 17). This was a mean annual actual phrases improve 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 precipitated a bigger lower to happen and so this meant working prices truly 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 companies: England exterior 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 relies 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 every week, greater than the nationwide common of 37 hours every week, and earn £528.10 every week, beneath the nationwide common of £532.50.
The typical 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 knowledge 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 larger 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 Power Survey)
ONS survey knowledge The Labour Power 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 Customary occupational classification system, SOC 2010, as “Bus and coach drivers” (code 8213), which can comprise 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 needs to be used when utilizing this knowledge. These figures are based mostly on January to March 2022 responses. The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) offers data on working hours and earnings.
Employees incapacity consciousness coaching
Current 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 knowledge: Bus punctuality statistics present one measure of the efficiency of native bus companies based mostly on knowledge reported by native authorities who monitor punctuality utilizing guide surveys or knowledge from digital methods. There are completely different measures of punctuality for frequent and non-frequent companies: a frequent service is one which has six or extra buses per hour. A number of areas haven’t any frequent companies. Bus timetable knowledge: Timetable knowledge offers extra detailed data on when and the place bus companies run, and who operates them, than the opposite sources on this publication. An evaluation of bus timetable knowledge from the Traveline Nationwide Dataset was included within the 2016 publication (see web page 12 of the discharge). Frequent companies: Knowledge on the typical extra ready time for frequent companies by native authority in England may be present in desk assortment BUS09b.
Within the monetary 12 months ending 2022, 84% of non-frequent companies in England ran on time. This was a lower in comparison with the monetary 12 months ending 2021, which was the best reported determine for the reason that knowledge 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 different between 76% and 90%. On the native authority stage, there was better variation ranging between 68% and 100%.
Chart 19: Share of non-frequent companies working on time: England, monetary years ending 2008 to 2022 BUS09a
Map 2: Share of non-frequent companies working on time: England, monetary 12 months ending 2022 BUS09a
Different sources of bus knowledge
The next part comprises knowledge 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 completely different timescales. Under is a quick define of among the knowledge sources.
Bus passenger satisfaction
Nice Britain exterior of London – October 2021 to March 2022
The Transport Focus Bus Consumer Weekly Survey gathers data on ranges of satisfaction of bus customers with their most up-to-date journey. As a result of coronavirus pandemic a unique survey methodology has been used to collect this data from the earlier Bus Passenger Survey, so direct comparisons with earlier years’ knowledge can’t be made.
In October 2021 to March 2022, 87% of bus passengers making journeys in Nice Britain exterior 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 unbiased transport consumer watchdog Transport Focus. Be aware that the statistics from the survey are usually not Nationwide Statistics. The 2021 survey was carried out 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 determine those that had made a journey on a bus exterior 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 exterior 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 knowledge 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 share level larger than the monetary 12 months ending 2021 however decrease than 85% within the monetary 12 months ending 2020.
TfL Buyer Satisfaction Survey
Extra data on bus satisfaction may 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 will likely be based mostly on the 2021 outcomes from a survey of just below 7,000 people. The coronavirus pandemic has had a considerable impression on the journey tendencies on this interval. For extra data, see the NTS statistics residence web page.
The NTS gathers knowledge on private journey behaviour throughout England. Knowledge from the NTS can be utilized to analyse the customers of native bus companies.
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 symbolize:
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 most typical objective 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 beneath this was carefully adopted by procuring (21.9%), leisure (21.2%) and schooling (19%).
Chart 20: Goal share of native bus journeys, 2021 NTS0409
How usually do individuals use native bus companies?
Over half of individuals (64%) hardly ever use a neighborhood bus (lower than yearly) whereas 1 / 4 journey by native bus on at the very least a month-to-month foundation (25%) with the rest (11%) travelling lower than a month-to-month foundation however at the very least yearly (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 nearly 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 underneath 2 miles whereas 13.5% of native bus journeys have been underneath 2 miles.
Chart 22: Journey size distribution, for native bus journeys and all modes, England, 2021 NTS0308
Who makes use of native bus companies?
Automotive entry
In 2021, on common, individuals in households with out entry to a automotive remodeled 5 occasions as many native bus journeys than these with entry to a automotive (87 journeys per individual versus 15 journeys per individual respectively). Native bus companies account for over half of all public transport journeys made by individuals in households with out entry to a automotive (52%) and underneath half of all public transport journeys made by individuals in households with entry to a automotive (47%) (see chart 23).
Chart 23: Native bus journeys per individual per 12 months by automotive 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 lowering over this era, a big lower was seen between 2019 and 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. In 2021, this has recovered barely however continues to be decrease than 39 journeys per individual in 2019.
In every year for which knowledge has been collected adults with mobility difficulties have used native buses lower than individuals who don’t. In 2021 nevertheless, the variety of bus journeys made by adults with mobility difficulties was barely larger 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 relies 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 some 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, ladies 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 knowledge
Transport Statistics Nice Britain (TSGB) – comprises further modal comparisons, in addition to offering a single publication containing statistics throughout all transport themes and modes.
Street accident statistics – offers detailed statistics about reported private harm street collisions for Nice Britain, automobiles and casualties concerned.
Pace compliance statistics – comprises data on velocity compliance with a variable for lengthy and quick buses. Additionally contains distance to automobile in entrance.
Street Visitors statistics – Street site visitors statistics present estimates of the automobile miles travelled every year in Nice Britain by automobile sort, street class and area.
Background data
Nationwide Bus Technique
In September 2019, the federal government set out how it could launch a revolution in bus companies – delivering a greater deal for bus customers and committing to publishing a Nationwide Bus Technique. In February 2020, the Prime Minister introduced that bus companies throughout the nation can be reworked with easier fares, hundreds of latest 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 companies for passengers throughout England, by means of bold and far-reaching reform of how companies are deliberate and delivered.
Customers and makes use of of those statistics
These statistics present key data 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 watch progress for the DfT marketing strategy indicator associated to the proportion of buses working on time
by economists in modelling coverage choices
Outdoors DfT recognized makes use of embody:
passenger journeys figures are used as a measure of the general well being/state of the business, for instance by personal analysis organisations, and are sometimes reported within the commerce press;
native authorities might use these statistics to check tendencies of their space with the nationwide image;
these statistics have additionally offered background data for stories by the Transport Choose Committee and Competitors Fee;
bus fares knowledge are utilized by the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics in calculating the Retail and Client Worth 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 Observe. They bear common high quality assurance opinions 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 exterior London and London.
The following annual bus statistics are scheduled to be revealed in Autumn 2023.
Strengths and weaknesses of the information
These statistics are derived from numerous sources, with the primary supply being the DfT annual Public Service Automobile (PSV) survey of over 500 native bus operators which offers knowledge on passenger journeys, automobile miles, income and prices, and automobiles 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. Data on passenger journeys and bus mileage for London is offered 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. Now and again, imputations for earlier years may be improved utilizing directly-reported knowledge for later years. Minor revisions to back-data can happen because of this, though tendencies are hardly ever affected substantively.
For the important thing indicators (passenger journeys and automobile miles operated) the information offered by operators covers round 95% of the whole determine, with the rest imputed. This will even have an effect on earlier 12 months’s knowledge, the place extra updated data is used to impute knowledge, normally restricted to the two previous years and adjustments of underneath 1% to beforehand reported figures. In uncommon occurrences we obtain corrections to earlier knowledge which can change figures to a extra important stage significantly at native authority stage, together with re-allocations throughout native authority boundaries.
Comparability with different sources means that, at combination (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 adjustments needs to be handled with warning as these are extra vulnerable to measurement errors (for instance, an inaccurate return by an operator, or a change in an operator’s methodology of manufacturing the figures) which usually tend to even out on the nationwide stage. This has been extra related in recent times as many corporations have switched to ticketing machines and knowledge options to file key knowledge.
As such, regional and significantly native authority stage figures needs to be interpreted with warning. Native authority stage knowledge will change between boundaries and it isn’t at all times attainable to backdate the adjustments. Additional particulars of the information sources and strategies used within the manufacturing of those statistics may be discovered within the background high quality report.
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