Better Transport

You and other bus passengers need to be confident your bus will turn up and get you to your destination on time – especially important for people new to buses who might go back to their cars if the bus isn’t a reliable option. With a bit of effort you can help to make buses reliable and punctual.

If your bus is late or doesn’t turn up, complain to the bus company. If you feel the bus company doesn't respond appropriately to fix the problem, contact Bus Users UK, which will put you in touch with the Bus Appeals Body to make an appeal. You could also contact Passenger Focus – the statutory bus passenger watchdog – to let them know, although their role on complaints is still being clarified.

A recurring problem? Investigate
If buses in your area are often unreliable and nothing is being done, you could take further action.

Show the bus company that many people are suffering because of the unreliable buses. Get evidence of the problem by recording bus punctuality over several days or asking other passengers to inform you whenever a bus is late.

Buses may be unreliable because the bus company isn’t doing a good job. Contact the traffic commissioner for your area if the bus persistently fails to meet its schedule. Show the commissioner the data you’ve collected.

Buses may be unreliable because of local authority roadworks. The traffic commissioners can also take action when these roadworks are causing recurring problems that could be avoided, so contact them in this case too.

Buses may be unreliable because of traffic jams. Maybe bus priority measures, like bus lanes, would help buses keep to their timetable or even to speed past the cars along congested roads. If that’s the case, you may want to lobby for more bus priority measures.

It might make sense for your transport authority to monitor bus reliability or introduce bus lanes as part of a wider agreement with the bus company. Talk to them about the options – voluntary agreement, statutory partnership or quality contract – and pressure on for them to introduce one of them.

Be sure to look at our general bus campaigning tips and to use bus facts to support your work. 

• Increased reliability
• More priority for buses
  
• Better stations and stops  
• Clearer signage 
• Low-floor buses
• More buses 
• Lower fares