Buses are Britain’s favourite form of public transport, carrying 11 million passengers every day.
Up and down the country, they provide vital connections in local communities. But there’s a problem – too often, they’re too slow.
The average pace of a bus journey is just 7.1mph in London, and 11.7mph in the rest of England. For time-pressed commuters, busy families and key workers, that simply isn’t good enough.
The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has recently published a report showing a mere 10 per cent improvement in journey times would generate 147 million more passenger journeys and deliver a remarkable £5 billion dividend to the national economy.
Faster buses mean shorter and more reliable journeys for passengers, whose time saved on journeys can be used more productively – whether that is working, studying, or spending time and money in town and city centres.
So, how can this be achieved? There are three key levers local authorities can pull.
The first is road space priority. More bus lanes on major roads, and operating around the clock, are the most effective way to take public transport out of congestion.
Second, traffic-light priority enables buses to escape bottlenecks as quickly as possible – and it can be equally effective, and less visible, than bus lanes.
Third is improved coordination of street works, which have contributed to a 13.5 per cent real-terms increase in bus operators’ costs per kilometre since 2019.
We know priority schemes can deliver strong returns. The Eclipse busway in Hampshire, which opened in 2012, recorded a benefit-cost ratio of £6.94 for every £1 spent.
That is a powerful example of how well-designed schemes can be more than transport interventions – they can be an investment in productivity, connectivity and local growth.
The message from CPT’s report is clear. Increasing bus speeds is not just about helping buses move more quickly; it is about helping local economies move forward.
- See CPT UK website to find out more.