Bus operators celebrated a major new poll today suggesting passenger satisfaction with services in England and Scotland is at an all time high.
A survey of over 47,000 bus passengers found users on the Oxford Bus Park and Ride were most satisfied with their overall journey (96%) while Lothian Buses in South East Scotland came top on value for money (83%).
In total, 88% of questioned bus passengers in England and 92% in Scotland were satisfied with their journeys.
The Confederation of Passenger Transport UK (CPT) said the positive results had been achieved through close collaboration between the industry, local authorities and stakeholders.
Independent watchdog Passenger Focus, which conducted the study, highlighted the efforts of First Bus in the West of England Partnership, which had almost doubled the satisfaction of its passengers with their value for money to reach 61%.
Passengers were surveyed in autumn 2014, with responses from 38 areas in England and four in Scotland.
Oxford Bus Park and Ride and Norfolk’s Konectbus scored the highest passenger rating for punctuality (90%), while 97% of passengers said they were happy with the bus journey time of Anglian Bus – moving it to the top of the list.
CPT’s chief executive officer, Simon Posner, said: ‘The industry can be justifiably proud to receive an 88% overall satisfaction rating, and it is all the more important as it is the people who really matter – the passengers – who are giving their bus services this endorsement.
‘Simply put, Britain’s bus industry continues to deliver for its customers, day in and day out.
‘While there are calls for greater local authority control and even a return to a regulated regime, these satisfaction rates show that the industry is already delivering for the people who matter – passengers.’
David Sidebottom, passenger director at Passenger Focus, said: ‘Passengers tell us that value for money is key to their satisfaction with a service, along with being able to get decent information and a friendly, helpful driver.
‘When bus companies act on the findings in the survey it has a direct result for passengers. Just this week I’ve been to the Isle of Wight where the bus company listened to what passengers said from our research, and reinstated a route with new, bigger buses plus cutting some fares.’
