1. Main Points
1.1 The total number of passenger journeys (boardings) on local bus services in Scotland:
- was 477 million in 2005-06, 0.4% fewer than in the previous year. The fall in 2005-06 was the first for several years - previously, there had been increases in six consecutive years.
- fell by 6% between 1995-96 and 2005-06, compared with an increase of 5% in Great Britain as a whole and a fall of 12% for GB outwith London.
- represented 94 journeys per head of population in 2005-06, 16% higher than the corresponding figure for GB.
1.2 In real terms, fares on local bus services in Scotland rose by 0.4% between 2004-05 and 2005-06, and increased by 11% over ten years. Local bus passenger receipts in Scotland in 2005-06 totalled £385 million, 2% higher in real terms than ten years earlier. Operating costs per vehicle kilometre (including depreciation) in 2005-06 were 12% lower in real terms than ten years earlier.
1.3 Women make about two-thirds of all adults' bus journeys. The most common purposes for which adults use buses are shopping (around 31% of adults' bus journeys), commuting (28%) and visiting friends and relatives (10%). In 2005, about 10-12% of journeys made by adults each day were by bus, except on Sundays when it was only 6%. The percentage was higher for women (12%) than it was for men (8%); and was higher for those aged 16-19 and 70+ (about two-fifths) than for 30-59 year olds (6-7%).
1.4 In 2005, about seven-eighths of households said that they were within 6 minutes walk of a bus stop. About 4% of householders said that they had no bus service or were at least 14 minutes walk away from the nearest bus stop. However, about 23% of householders in "remote" rural areas, and around 15% of those in "accessible" rural areas, said they had no bus service or were at least 14 minutes walk away from one. Public transport was described as "very convenient" by 60% of adults in large urban areas but only by 23% of those living in "remote" rural areas and 25% of adults in "accessible" rural areas.
1.5 In 2005, 12% of commuters said that they usually travelled to work by bus, 68% went by car or van, and 20% used other means (mainly walking). Proportionately more women travelled by bus. 44% of those who went by car/van said that they could use public transport. This percentage was highest for those living in large urban areas (55%). Only 21% of car/van commuters living in "remote" rural areas said that they could use public transport. The main reasons given by car/van commuters who could use public transport to travel to work for not doing so included "takes too long", "inconvenient", "no direct route" and "use my own car".
Chart A: Distance travelled by bus services (Scotland)
Chart B: Distance travelled by local bus services per head of population
1.6 26% of adults interviewed between April 2003 and December 2005 held a concessionary travel pass, including over four-fifths of those who were aged 65 and over. In 2005, 15% of people aged 60+ had used a concessionary travel pass every day or almost every day in the past month, and 40% had used one at least once a week (44% of women and 32% of men).
1.7 In 2005, 43% of adults had used a local bus service in the past month. Females made more use of local bus services than males, with 13% of women using a bus service every day or almost every day, compared to 10% of men. 28% of 16-19 year olds used a bus service every day, or almost every day, compared to roughly 10% of those aged 30 and above.
1.8 73% of adults who had used a local bus service within the previous month agreed with the statement that the buses run on time. 76% agreed that buses ran when they were needed, 77% found them comfortable, 86% felt safe and secure on the bus, 88% found the range and price of tickets easy to understand, and 66% felt that bus fares were good value.
1.9 The reasons for not using buses more often (given by adults who used their local bus service at most "about once a week", if at all) included "use my own car", "no need", " takes too long" and "inconvenient".
1.10 In 2005, 13% of adults said that they would feel "very safe", and 41% "fairly safe", when travelling by bus in the evening. However, 8% would feel "not safe at all" and 15% "not particularly safe".
1.11 The distance travelled by local bus services in Scotland:
- was 357 million vehicle kilometres in 2005-06, the same as in the previous year.
- was 1% more than ten years ago.
- on subsidised services has increased by 4% over the past 10 years.
1.12 All Scottish bus and coach services (local plus non-local):
- travelled 491 million vehicle kilometres in 2005-06, 3% less than in the previous year.
- travelled 3% less than in 1995-96
1.13 Since 1975, Scotland has seen a 47% fall in the number of local bus passenger journeys (boardings) but a 6% rise in the distance travelled by local bus services. This compares with a 37% reduction in passenger journeys and an increase of 5% in vehicle kilometres for GB as a whole.
1.14 In Scotland, over the past ten years, the number of single decker buses and coaches has increased by 20%, and the number of double deckers has reduced by 36%. Staff numbers in 2005-06 were 9% higher than in 1995-96.