This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Bus and Coach Statistics 2004-05
24/02/2006
Local bus service are used more in Scotland than in Great Britain as a whole, according to figures contained in Statistical Bulletin Bus and Coach Statistics 2004-05.
They show that, per head of population, Scots made 16 per cent more local bus journeys than the British average in 2004-05.
Other key findings show that there were 465 million passenger journeys (boardings) on local bus services in Scotland in 2004-05, 2 per cent more than in the previous year. 72 per cent of bus users agreed that the buses ran on time, 75 per cent agreed that they ran when they were needed, 75 per cent found them comfortable, 86 per cent felt safe and secure on the bus and 68 per cent felt that bus fares were good value.
Overall, 13 per cent of Scottish commuters travelled to work by bus, rising to 26 per cent for those living in Edinburgh, 21 per cent in Glasgow and 20 per cent in Dundee.
The Bulletin uses the results of the Department for Transport (DfT) survey of Public Service Vehicle operators to describe the trends in bus and coach services in Scotland, and to provide some comparable statistics for Great Britain. It also provides some results from the Scottish Household Survey.
Findings from the DfT survey show:
- The number of passenger journeys (boardings) on local bus services in Scotland was 465 million in 2004-05, 2 per cent more than in the previous year
- This was the eighth increase since the current records began in 1975, and the first time since then that there have been increases in six consecutive years. However, there were 9 per cent fewer passengers in 2004-05 than ten years earlier
- The 2004-05 total represents 92 journeys per head of population, which is 16 per cent higher than the corresponding figure for Great Britain as a whole
- The total distance (in vehicle-kilometres) travelled by local bus services in Scotland was 1 per cent less than ten years earlier
- In real terms, fares on local bus services in Scotland rose by 12 per cent between 1994-95 and 2004-05
- Passenger receipts from local bus services in Scotland totalled #381 million in 2004-05. In real terms, they were the same as ten years earlier
- In Scotland, over the past ten years, the number of single decker buses and coaches has increased by 14 per cent, the number of double deckers has reduced by 30 per cent, and staff numbers were 2 per cent higher in 2004-05 than in 1994-95. The operating costs per vehicle-kilometre in 2004-05 were 16 per cent lower in real terms than ten years earlier
- Since 1975 Scotland has seen a 48 per cent reduction in the number of local bus passenger journeys but a 8 per cent increase in the distance (vehicle-kilometres) travelled by local bus services
The latest results from the Scottish Household Survey, which relate to the calendar year 2004, include:
- 13 per cent of commuters said that they usually travelled to work by bus. This percentage is highest for those living in Edinburgh (26 per cent), Glasgow (21 per cent) and Dundee (20 per cent)
- 43 per cent of car/van commuters said that they could use public transport to travel to work
- The main reasons given by car and van commuters who could use public transport to travel to work for not doing so included "takes too long", "inconvenient", "no direct route", "use my own car" and "need a car for/at work"
- About seven-eighths of households were within 6 minutes walk of a bus stop. However, about 26 per cent in "remote" rural areas, and about 13 per cent in "accessible" rural areas, had no bus service or were at least 14 minutes walk away from one
- 41 per cent of adults stated that they had used a local bus service within the previous month
- 72 per cent of adults who had used a local bus service within the previous month agreed with the statement that the buses run on time. Three-quarters agreed that the buses ran when they were needed, 75 per cent found them comfortable, 86 per cent felt safe and secure on the bus, 89 per cent found the range and price of tickets easy to understand, and 68 per cent of bus users felt that bus fares were good value
- The main reasons given by adults for not using buses more often included "use my own car", "no need", "takes too long", "inconvenient", "lack of service" and "health reasons"
- 14 per cent of adults said that they would feel "very safe", and 40 per cent "fairly safe", when travelling by bus in the evening. However, 8 per cent would feel "not safe at all" and 14 per cent "not particularly safe"
- About four-fifths of people aged 60 and over held a concessionary travel pass which allowed free travel on off-peak local bus services, and about 11 per cent of those aged 60+ had used such a pass the day prior to interview
- About 10-11 per cent of journeys made by adults each day were by bus, except on Sundays when it was only 6 per cent. The percentage was higher for women (12 per cent) than it was for men (9 per cent); and was higher for those aged 16-19 and 70+ (19-26 per cent) than for 30-59 year olds (6-8 per cent). The self-employed, small employers and sole traders, adults living in households with an annual net income of over #25,000, and adults living in rural areas and remote small towns, all made at most 5 per cent of their journeys by bus