Improved punctuality and reliability as well as increased mileage were hallmarks of 2023, says First West of England
Over six million more journeys were made by bus passengers in the West of England in 2023 compared to last year, according to new figures from First West of England, which operates services in Bristol, Bath, Weston-super-Mare, Wells and surrounding towns and villages. The company says almost 53 million passengers travelled this year compared to just over 46 million in 2022, a sign that more people are chosing the bus as a sustainable, cost-effective way to get around. The firm said that its figures also show improvements in bus punctuality and a reduction in the number of journeys cancelled or cut short, with nearly 98% of planned journeys operating in full, with the remaining 2% cancelled or curtailed for a number of reasons, including driver sickness, vehicle issues or traffic congestion.
The number of journeys cancelled or being cut short fell by 60% when compared to 2022, the operator said, adding that in 2023 it added almost 80,000 operational miles to its network by adding new services, providing extra buses on existing services or extending existing routes.
On punctuality, the operator said that almost 83% of its buses ran on time in 2023, compared to nearly 78% the previous year – an improvement of almost five percentage points, and above the average figure for England at 80%. Managing Director at First West of England Doug Claringbold said: “The past three years have been a tough time for the bus industry. Not only did we – like the rest of the world – have to contend with Covid-19, but we’ve also faced the challenge of encouraging people back onto buses in a world where people’s lives and travelling habits have dramatically changed.
“We have also faced driver shortages, continuing traffic congestion, and ongoing, significant increases in costs. But despite all of this, our customer numbers are growing, and I’m pleased that the hard work we’ve put into reviewing our network and amending timetables has not only enabled us to increase the number of buses but also reduce the number of journeys we’ve had to cancel or reduce as well as improving our punctuality.
“I’m confident that the great work our teams are doing to provide the best possible services will continue, and with our use of the latest cutting-edge technology to plan our network, we’ll be able to make even more improvements to our bus services.
“With well over a million passengers travelling on our services every week, we recognise we don’t always get it right, but I hope the figures we’ve released today show that we are moving in the right direction, and it will give current and future passengers the confidence to keep using our buses or give the bus a try.”
