With two out of three commuters in the Aberdeen area using their car to get to work, First Aberdeen is supporting a bid to find out how more people could be encouraged to use the bus.
In partnership with First and Nestrans, Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce recently published results of research into what the barriers to bus use are, and how they can be overcome.
Despite 66% using the car to get to work, over half of respondents described themselves frequent or occasional bus users. An additional one in three said that they do not use the bus but would like to do so.
Scottish Transport Statistics from 2012 show that the percentage of driver journeys delayed in Aberdeen City (12%) and Aberdeenshire (13%) are above the national average of 10%.
In Aberdeen, around 77% of households have access to a car and car ownership levels in Aberdeenshire are the highest in Scotland (85% against the national average of 69%). The two main barriers to using the bus identified in the study are cost and length of journey time.
Unprompted, 24% of respondents – nearly one in four – said the main reason they don’t use the bus is its cost, while 22% also said their main barrier was that their journey by bus took too long, and 82% said they would be more likely to use the bus if their journey was quicker.
A number of recommendations have been put forward following the study, including extending bus lane opening times and re-evaluating current routes.
Daniel Laird, Commercial Manager at First Aberdeen, said: “Bus travel is key to the future of local economies and we are committed to working with our partners in Aberdeen to make services as attractive as possible, encouraging people to swap the car for the bus, thereby reducing congestion and improving air quality for all.
“Improving bus journey times is key to attracting more passengers and this can only be fully achieved if the issue of congestion in Aberdeen city centre is addressed.
Nestrans Chairman Cllr Ramsay Milne said: “We know that many people choose to use their car to commute, but wish to ensure that options are available and attractive.
“It is positive to see that many commuters do choose to use the bus, either for their regular journey or as an alternative for other trips.”
