Statistical Bulletin Transport Series - Trn/2005/1: Bus and Coach Statistics: 2003-04
2. Background
2.1 Section 3 and Tables 1 to 10 describe the trends in Scottish bus and coach services over the past ten financial years, from 1993-94 to 2003-04, using statistics which were provided by the Department for Transport (DfT). A summary table provides some key figures over a longer period, including 1985-86, the last full year prior to the deregulation of bus services outside London, which took place during 1986-87. The tables include, in many cases, comparable statistics for Great Britain and/or for "Great Britain outside London", where this is more appropriate.
2.2 Section 4 and Tables 11 to 27 provide Scottish Household Survey (SHS) statistics, for the calendar year 2003, and some earlier years, on the following topics: the walking time to, and frequency of bus services at, the nearest bus stop; views on the quality of public transport; use of local bus services; bus users' views on local bus services; travel to work by bus and the possible use of public transport by those who travel to work by car; commuters' reasons for using the bus and car commuters' reasons for not using public transport; reasons for not using buses more often; the frequency of travelling by bus in the evening and how safe from crime passengers feel; adults who hold a concessionary travel pass which allows free off-peak travel on local bus services; and the proportion of adults' journeys which are made by bus.
2.3 Section 5 provides some notes and definitions; section 6 describes the DfT survey of public service vehicle operators, and section 7 gives further information about the SHS.
2.4 The main changes in this edition are the inclusion of some new tables which give more results from the SHS:
- detailed analysis of the reasons most often given by car/van commuters for not using public transport to travel to work, separately for those who say that (a) they could use public transport and (b) it would not be possible for them to use public transport;
- the single main reason given by people who use buses at most once a week (if at all) for not using them more often;
- the percentages of the adult population with a concessionary travel pass which allows free travel on off-peak local bus services;
In addition, six tables now include the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) (see section 5.3).
Chart E: Local bus service fare indices and passenger transport fare indices
Chart F: Passenger receipts; public transport support and concessionary fare reimbursement (Scotland)
NB: Receipts for local bus services includes concessionary fare reimbursement