Better Transport

Bus journeys need to be improved and the Government needs to provide national leadership and support to help ensure they are.

Journeys need to be improved
We’d like to see the following. If you would too, why not support our work or help us campaign?

Bus services need to be:

• Reliable and punctual, with well-enforced priority over other traffic where necessary
• Frequent, including through high-frequency services being well integrated with less frequent local networks
• Affordable. One way is by allowing a ticket to let you travel on the network, not just a route. In December 2008 we published research which shows that reducing bus and rail fares and increasing motoring and aviation taxes could lead to a 13% cut in carbon emissions by 2025. Getting the price right is vital if we’re going to tackle climate change.
• Accessible
• Well promoted so you can find out easily about buses in your area and where they go
• Adaptable, changing to serve new travel needs and new development

Bus services need to have:

• Good evening and weekend service
• Good connections with other bus routes and between buses and other transport
• Comfortable and secure waiting areas
• High-quality, well-trained staff

Buses should be supported by:

• Competition rules that allow public transport operators to provide area-wide tickets valid on all local buses and trains (we recently exposed passengers' suffering due to bus companies not cooperating)
• Pro-bus policies at a local level – for example, traffic management polices that manage and price car use properly and give priority to buses, through realistic on- and off-street parking charges and control, car-free or bus-only areas and priority bus lanes
• Planning policies that promote high-density development and locate development where it can easily be served by buses

Some bus services are meeting many of these requirements; many more should be.

Local authorities should use new powers in the Local Transport Act to improve buses. The Act means they will soon be able to:

• Encourage cooperation between bus operators where this will benefit passengers
• Create partnerships with bus operators which cover fares, frequencies and timings of buses
• Create quality contracts so they can regulate bus networks, deciding on routes, frequencies, fares, ticketing, smartcards, integration with trains and so on
• Set up Integrated Transport Authorities so that transport is planned over a wider area. This would mean more money and more political will to improve public transport

The Government should set minimum standards
The Government should set minimum standards for bus operators and local authorities. For example:

• Local authorities would have to meet standards on bus facilities
• Bus operators would have to meet standards on customer service and vehicle standards

You're part of the solution
While the Government needs to do a great deal, there are ways you can help to improve buses:

• If you want to improve your local bus service, read our online guide.
• Local campaigners are doing a great deal to improve bus services -- often with success! Find local campaigners in your area.