Scottish Transport Statistics No 29: 2010 Edition

Understanding Why Some People Do Not Use Buses

April 2010

Scottish Centre for Social Research (ScotCen)

Qualitative research to explore in depth the reasons why some people do not use buses (often or at all) and what might encourage them to do so. Existing research on bus travel in Scotland has mostly been quantitative. Although survey data is useful in measuring use of buses, it can be limited in the level of detail it provides on why people use particular modes rather than others. This research was intended to address that gap.

Participants identified a wide range of barriers to bus use. Their beliefs about local bus services reflected a combination of previous experience (recent as well as long-past), 'hearsay' from other people, and media coverage. There was considerable overlap in the barriers raised by men and women, older and younger people, those in urban and rural areas and people with and without disabilities (although some particular issues were raised by disabled people).

Descriptions of buses as 'inconvenient' relative to the car appear to reflect a number of more specific issues, relating to directness and journey speed, the need to make multi-stage or multi-purpose journeys and the need to carry paperwork or equipment. When comparing the costs of making a journey by car or by bus, car owners appear to focus on petrol and parking costs - they do not include the full costs of owning, insuring and running a car in their comparisons.

Three broad groups were identified in terms of their attitudes to using buses more in the future: 'Bus Refusers', who were strongly attached to their cars and opposed to using buses more; 'Bus Pessimists', who said they would like to use the bus more, but do not currently see it as an attractive option; and those who are 'Willing to be Convinced', who were more likely to mention positives to using the bus - both personal and environmental. However, people across these groups felt major changes would be needed for them to use the bus more often in the future.

The findings suggest that future actions to encourage people to use the bus (more) need to focus on highlighting the advantages (both personal and environmental), mitigating or challenging views of the disadvantages, and making it as easy as possible for someone who has not used the bus for some time to do so.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk7cf975e9-c07e-44ab-ad47-9601fd35f6e3

Improving the Evidence for Setting the Reimbursement Rate for Operators Under the Scotland-wide Older and Disabled Persons Concessionary Bus Scheme

April 2010

Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds

To improve the evidence base underpinning reimbursement payments to bus operators for carrying concessionary bus passengers. The aim was to provide information that would support the establishment of reimbursement payments and concessionary fares budgets in the 2010-11 financial year and beyond.

The analysis derived figures for the discount and additional cost elements of the Scottish Reimbursement model. They provided a basis for application, but further calculations are needed to produce a final "reimbursement rate", (which determines payments by Transport Scotland to operators for the lost revenue from passengers who would have travelled at the commercial fare in the absence of the scheme and any additional costs incurred through carrying passengers that would not have travelled in the absence of a scheme). The starting point for reimbursement was 61.5%, calculated from the scheme generation factor. The work on discounts suggested this should be reduced by around 5p in respect of potential use of tickets other than standard adult single fare in the absence of a scheme. The work on additional costs - marginal and capacity added together - says this should be increased by around 9p in respect of the extra costs if generated traffic is carried on existing services and the extra services run because of the extra traffic. Altogether, this suggests a reimbursement rate of 65 - 66p in the pound.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/04/15164517/0

Seatbelt and mobile phone usage surveys: England and Scotland 2009

March 2010

Transport Research Laboratory ( TRL)

The Scottish Government part funded the DfT's 2009 seatbelt usage survey, which observes the use made of seatbelts by vehicle occupants around the country.

The survey observed driver and passenger seatbelt wearing rates. Rates for drivers in Scotland were observed to be 95% and the rates for front and rear seat passengers were 97% and 88% respectively. These figures suggest an increase in wearing rates for passengers compared with previous Scottish surveys, but rates for drivers have not increased. The figures suggest a drop in the wearing rate for male drivers since the last Scottish survey - the only group for whom this is the case.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/adobepdf/162469/221412/221549/564852/seatbeltphoneusage.pdf