Satisfaction with bus services is mixed

14 Jul 10
Passengers are happy with their local bus journeys, but are dissatisfied with all other aspects of the service, a watchdog study has found

By Jaimie Kaffash

14 July 2010

Passengers are happy with their local bus journeys, but are dissatisfied with all other aspects of the service, a watchdog study has found.

Passenger Focus’s bus passenger survey, released today, looked at 14 areas across England. It found that satisfaction with the bus journeys themselves remained high, with 84% of those surveyed saying they were very satisfied.

However, when it came to value for money, there was a high level of dissatisfaction. Fewer than half of fare-paying passengers in Medway (46%) claimed they were getting good value, compared with 64% in Merseyside.

Time spent waiting for the bus also scored low, with satisfaction falling to 67% in some regions. The survey also looked at the frequency of buses, availability of bus shelters and features of the journey itself. 

David Sidebottom, Passenger Focus’s bus director, said the findings would be used to press local authorities and operators to improve services.

‘We will continue to use this valuable research to ensure that efforts are focused on delivering what passengers want, which is more punctual and frequent buses that offer better value for money.’

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