Bus use target met but recession sees patronage decrease

Free concessionary bus travel has boosted ridership

Free concessionary bus travel has boosted ridership

The government looks set to beat its target of growing bus use over the 10-year period between 2000 and 2010 by 12%, but the latest figures from the bus and light rail patronage figures from the Office of National Statistics reveal that after considerable patronage gains over the last decade, the recession has led to a fall in volumes across the board over the last year.

Bus and light rail passenger journeys in the UK fell by 3.1% between July and September 2009 compared to the same quarter in...