Though there have been improvements in many areas over the past year, the Scottish bus sector remains well below levels seen five years ago
Scottish Transport Statistics has released its 2014 report, presenting a comprehensive statistical picture of transport in Scotland.
> Vehicles & Passengers
Around 425m passenger journeys were made by bus in Scotland in 2013-14. This is an increase of 0.2% on 2012-13 and a 13% fall from a peak in 2007-08. Journeys under the National Concessionary Travel Scheme make up just over a third of this figure (36%).
Similarly, vehicle kilometres have fallen by 15% over the past five years, with the distance covered falling in four of the last five years; 2012-13 to 2013-14 being the only period seeing a rise (up 1%). The fall has been similar in both commercial and subsidised services.
There is further evidence of contraction in the industry with the number of buses in operators’ fleets falling by 15% over the past five years, and an 8% fall in the number of staff employed in the industry over the same period.
There is a slightly contrasting picture for Great Britain as a whole, which has seen passenger journeys remain relatively stable over the past five years and, although vehicle kilometres have fallen, they have done so at a slower rate than in Scotland (a 5% fall compared to a 15% fall).
Bus use is higher in urban areas and lower in rural areas. The Scottish Household Survey travel diary shows 61% of those who used the bus the previous day lived in large urban areas compared to 2% of users living in remote rural areas. (This compares to population estimates of 39% living in large urban areas and 6% living in remote rural areas.) These figures are supported by the results of the more general question on bus use included in the Transport and Travel in Scotland publication which shows 59% of respondents in large urban areas had used the bus in the last month compared to 20% of those in remote rural areas.
> Operator revenue
Bus operators in Scotland received £655m in revenue in 2013-14, a decrease of 1% on the previous year but a 3% increase over the last five years. Adjusting for the effects of inflation total passenger revenue decreased 3% over the last five years.
Almost half (£291m, 44%) of operator revenue came from Local or
Central Government: whether through concessionary travel reimbursement, Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) or supported services. Passenger revenue (i.e. ticket sales to non-concessionary passengers) accounted for around 56% of operators’ revenue (£364m). Additional non-revenue support is excluded from these figures, specifically the Scottish Green Bus Fund and the Bus Investment Fund.
In real terms (adjusting for the effects of inflation), funding from Local and
National Government is now 5% lower than five years ago and passenger revenue is 3% lower than five years ago.
> Fares
Bus fares in Scotland have fallen by 2% in real terms (adjusting for the effects of inflation) over the past five years, which is better than the increase of 4% for Great Britain. In current prices, i.e. viewing fare increases in the way that a consumer would, fares have risen by almost 20% over the past five years. The increase in current prices is lower than in Great Britain as a whole which has seen an increase of 26% over the last five years.
> Operator costs
Operating costs for bus operators have risen consistently over time. Over the past five years operating costs per vehicle km have increased by 14% in real terms. Operating costs per journey have risen by 10% from £1.28 per passenger journey to £1.41. Although these increases are higher than those seen in the rest of GB (excluding London), operating costs per vehicle km remain higher in GB (£1.83 in Scotland, compared to £1.90 for GB excluding London).
>Passenger Satisfaction
People were satisfied with most aspects of bus services that the Scottish
Household Survey asked them about.
At least 75% of respondents were satisfied with the extent to which buses ran to timetable; the cleanliness of buses; the ease of changing to other forms of transport; the ease of finding out route and timetable information; and the simplicity of deciding which ticket they need.
Respondents gave lower satisfaction scores for the extent to which buses were environmentally friendly (56%) and whether the fares were good value (55%).
Additionally there was a noticeable difference in those who felt safe on the bus during the day and in the evening. 93% of respondents agreed that they felt safe using the bus during the day compared to 62% in the evening.
> Concessionary Travel
The National Concessionary Travel Scheme for older and disabled people was rolled out across Scotland in April 2006. The scheme enables individuals aged 60+ or those with a disability (who meet certain criteria) to travel free on buses across Scotland. In some local authorities the card can be used on trains and ferries. There is also a scheme for young people, The Young Scot Card. Those aged 16-18, or full-time volunteers aged under 26 can use the card to get a third off adult single fares on bus services in Scotland, a third off rail travel and two free journeys to the mainland for islanders. Almost 153,000 young people were eligible to access the travel concessions available through their Young Scot card in 2014.
26% of all adults (16+) had a concessionary fare pass under the Scheme in 2013, and 86% of those aged 60 or over had a pass. These proportions have changed little over the period since the introduction of the national scheme, though there has been a steady increase in pass holder numbers over the period.
The majority of pass holders (88%) in the older and disabled persons scheme hold a pass on the basis of age. Of those who have a pass for the disabled or visually impaired, two thirds (68%) have a companion card which allows someone to travel with them on the bus.
Bus journeys account for almost all (96%) of journeys made under the concessionary travel scheme.
> Ministerial statement
Transport Minister, Derek Mackay, said: “These figures provide a useful overview and insight into transport trends and behaviours. We are confident this pattern will continue going forward but appreciate there is still much work to be done to build on this momentum.
“Our commitment to assist bus operators is clearly demonstrated by providing around £250m every year through the Bus Service Operators Grant and Concessionary Bus Travel. We have also secured a deal that guarantees the future of the ever popular concessionary travel scheme for the next two years.
“There is robust evidence we have used our devolved powers over transport infrastructure wisely. Our commitment to the largest transport investment programme that Scotland has ever seen defies relentless Westminster budget cuts. This year we are investing over £1 billion in public transport and other sustainable transport options.”
INFO
The full document from Scottish Transport Statistics can be viewed at https://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/analysis/statistics/publications
