Barclay Davies, Bus Users UK Director for Wales, examines a new report on how people really feel about buses
With the Buses Bill (Wales) having received Royal Assent and as South West Wales prepares to become the first area in the country to introduce franchising, Geotronics had published its UK Bus Trust Tracker 2025. A survey of 2.500 people across the UK, it delivers some interesting statistics about how factors such as geography, safety, pricing, perception and technology influence how important bus services – and our trust in them – are to the communities they serve.
How often do people use the bus?
The report indicates that 54% of Brits take the bus less than once a week. Outside of London that figure rises to 59%. For 28%, the bus is used just once every six months or less, and 17% of Brits say they never take the bus at all.
When this is broken down by region, people in London use the bus an average of 142 times per year. In Scotland that figure drops to 86 times per year and, by contrast, passengers in Wales take the bus 49 times per year, slightly less than once a week.
The research indicates a clear link between environmental awareness and openness to use public transport. In Scotland there has been significant investment in greener fleets whereas in Wales – outside the Municipals in Cardiff and Newport and a few of the TrawsCymru services – investment is lower. 63% of people in Edinburgh said they would be more likely to take the bus if the fleet was more eco-friendly compared to just 37% in Cardiff.
Perceptions of safety also vary. In London, 63% of respondents said feeling safer would make them more likely to use the bus while in Wales, only 28% agreed.
What stops people getting on board?
| Top 10 reasons for not using the bus | |
| Buses are often delayed or not on time | 30% |
| The journey time is too long | 30% |
| Buses are often overcrowded | 24% |
| Fares are too expensive | 22% |
| There’s a lack of reliable information about times or routes | 15% |
| The physical experience of bus travel is uncomfortable | 15% |
| Services are not easy to access where people live | 12% |
| Buses don’t connect well with other transport modes | 11% |
| People don’t feel safe while travelling | 8% |
| There’s a lack of on-board features such as Wi-Fi or USB charging | 7% |
What would encourage people to use the bus?
The report does not mention measures to improve congestion which would provide more accurate and predictable journeys and tackle the top two reasons given for not using the bus. Instead it focuses on information, reporting that passengers want to be equipped with the technology to make journeys more transparent, predictable and reliable. When passengers feel informed and in control, they are far more willing to choose the bus over other forms of travel.
| Most impactful changes that would encourage bus use | |
| Accurate, live information about bus routes | 22% |
| Ability to see in advance how busy the bus will be | 21% |
| Better communication within fleets to ensure regular services | 18% |
Passengers want better, improved technology. 86% of 16 to 24-year-olds and 88% of 25 to 34-year-olds said better technology would encourage them to use buses more; however, among those aged 55 and over that figure dropped to 51%, highlighting the need for continuing to provide information in accessible formats alongside technological improvements.
Passengers need to trust their buses. The report explains that “Trust in transport is not only about safety or data protection. It is about reliability. Passengers need to know the bus will arrive when expected, that fares are fair, and that information is accurate”. Technology of course won’t solve everything, it too can fail, but it can help to deliver the accountability passengers are looking for.
As one survey respondent said: “When the bus works, it’s great. But so often it’s late and there’s no way to know when it will arrive or whether it will be massively overcrowded when it does. It’s not a risk I’m willing to take on my commute.”
Some interesting food for thought as Wales heads towards a new Bus Franchised Network future. Starting with a blank sheet provides a wonderful opportunity to develop a network that works for everyone. Effective consultation with users is key to the success of any bus network. It’s essential to ensure that users feedback leads to the development of the services that meet their needs and requirements. Our hope is that the next few years will see the dawn of a new era for bus services in Wales, properly funded and meeting the needs and aspirations of the communities they serve.
There is clearly a lot to do to encourage more people to use buses as they go about their daily lives in the towns and communities across Wales. Trust is an important concept and we need to be able to trust our bus services to deliver on their promises to get us where we want to be on time.
Read the report in full Getronics UK Bus Trust Tracker 2025