Off the buses: Trips down as prices rise

BUS travel in most parts of the country has hit a record low, as ticket prices rise at a faster rate than rail fares.

The number of bus trips made in England outside London fell 9 million in 2018-19, official figures show.

There were 2.6 billion journeys in the year to March – the lowest since the Department for Transport started collecting figures in 2004-05.

Meanwhile, bus fares have risen 3.3 per cent this year. That is more than the 3.1 per cent rise in the average train fare.

In July, Boris Johnson vowed to improve the UK’s bus network ‘as a matter of urgency’.

Despite fewer journeys being made outside London, buses still account for 58 per cent of trips on public transport. Most routes are run by private companies or with support from local authorities but they have been accused of neglecting services.

Government figures show that motorists were hit with £90million in fines for driving in bus lanes last year – more than double the amount in 2017-18 – but critics say ‘ruthless’ councils have failed to reinvest the money in public transport.

An AA spokesman said: ‘It’s bad news when bus travel becomes less popular. Drivers are being chased with charges and fines and the simple fact of the matter is that a lot of these councils haven’t put the investment into tempting people out of their cars and on to buses.’

However, the Local Government Association says a £ 652million shortfall in government funding for free bus passes has left nearly half of England’s bus routes at risk of being scrapped, as councils say they have to fill the gap.

A Department for Transport spokesman said the Government had earmarked £ 220million to ‘transform’ bus services.