A recent Transport Focus survey highlights significant variations in bus service satisfaction across England, pinpointing West Yorkshire and Tees Valley for low scores, while praising East Riding of Yorkshire and parts of the South West for high satisfaction among passengers.
A recent survey conducted by Transport Focus has underscored significant disparities in bus service quality across England, with some passengers expressing dissatisfaction, particularly in West Yorkshire and Tees Valley. Despite an 80% overall satisfaction rate among bus passengers in England, specific areas have reported lower satisfaction levels, highlighting concerns over punctuality and reliability. In contrast, the East Riding of Yorkshire and Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole were praised for their high satisfaction rates, reaching 90%.
The survey, which evaluated various aspects of the bus service including journey times, driver experience, and value for money, identified Arriva in West Yorkshire as the nation’s least satisfactory bus operator. With a satisfaction score of only 66%, Arriva’s services in urban metropolitan areas such as Leeds and Wakefield were particularly criticized for issues like crowding and traffic delays. On the other end of the spectrum, Stagecoach in Portsmouth was highlighted as the top performer, achieving a 91% satisfaction score from passengers.
The role of bus drivers in influencing passenger satisfaction was also emphasized, with behaviours like ensuring passengers are seated before moving off and careful driving being noted as key factors. The Transport Focus survey, which gathered feedback from over 35,000 journeys across the country, revealed a general need for improvement in reliability and journey times.
As congestion remains a significant challenge affecting bus services, calls have been made for greater collaboration between the government, bus operators, and local authorities to enhance the passenger experience. The Confederation of Passenger Transport specifically pointed out the necessity of investing in measures to improve bus speeds and reliability by addressing road congestion.
This comprehensive feedback serves not only as a benchmark for assessing passenger satisfaction but also as a call to action for relevant stakeholders to work together in improving service quality and reliability, thereby making bus travel a more attractive option for people across England.
