New research undertaken for CPT shows local authorities that they can be bold with plans to improve bus services, while toolkit offers helpful advice

 
A clear majority (54%) of the general public support bus priority schemes while only 15% oppose them

 
Most people support measures which give buses greater priority on roads, according to new research released by the Confederation of Passenger Transport this week.

CPT’s research was undertaken by Opinium and included 3,500 responses from the general public in Great Britain excluding London and 590 from business owners/senior decision makers.

A clear majority (54%) of the general public support bus priority schemes while only 15% oppose them. All regions of England as well as Scotland and Wales enjoy more support than opposition. Support rises to 62% among businesses.

Despite high levels of support for bus priority local authorities can find it challenging to introduce such measures as they face opposition from a vocal minority. To help councils CPT has produced toolkits that include recommendations based on the research with both the general public and business owners on how to best communicate the benefits of bus priority.

Key findings include:

  • It is important to highlight the role bus travel can play in delivering local environmental goals and improving liveability.
  • Put accessibility and improved life chances at the heart of messaging.
  • Being transparent about potential disruption during construction and ensuring early and meaningful local engagement with local communities is vital.

I hope local authorities will take advantage of CPT’s insight and toolkit as they encourage their communities to use public transport services

Commenting on the findings of the research and toolkit launch CPT chief executive Graham Vidler said: “This research shows that councils can enjoy public and business support when it comes to giving buses priority on our roads.”

He added: “Our toolkit will help local authorities ensure widespread community support for measures they want to introduce.”

Transport minister Baroness Vere said: “As this research highlights, the [bus] sector plays a vital role in cleaning up the air in our communities, as we work to achieve net zero. I hope local authorities will take advantage of CPT’s insight and toolkit as they encourage their communities to use public transport services.”

 
COMMENT: Graham Vidler, CPT

A non-negotiable of the next decade is that we need to get more people travelling on buses. The Committee on Climate Change, the Government’s official advisers on the issue, say that for the UK to remain on track for its net zero goals, one in ten car journeys made today needs to be made by bus by 2030.

It’s also the main success measure for the UK Government’s National Bus Strategy, the soon to be published strategy for buses in Wales and a key element of delivering the Scottish Government’s plans to reduce car kilometres by 20% by 2030.

Key to getting more people on the bus is making buses quicker by giving them greater priority on the road. Our research has shown overwhelmingly high levels of support for this with eight out of ten people who have a view supporting the introduction of such measures. This is a silent majority that doesn’t normally make the headlines.

Our toolkit is designed to help local authorities overcome this opposition by being clear about potential disruption and taking on board local views early in the process

Despite high levels of support for bus priority, we know local authorities can find it challenging to introduce as they face opposition from a vocal minority. Our toolkit is designed to help local authorities overcome this opposition by being clear about potential disruption and taking on board local views early in the process. More importantly it will help them maximise the high levels of support that already exist with recommendations to highlight the role bus travel plays in delivering local environmental goals and improving the liveability of an area.

In England, ambitions to improve bus services, via the National Bus Strategy, vastly outweigh the funds available. Therefore, it is vital that we deliver maximum value for money for any investments made, an area in which bus priority performs well, delivering £5 of benefits for every £1 invested.

We must not miss the opportunity that has been presented to begin the transformation of bus services. It is by showing what we can deliver now that we will make the case for further investment. I hope our toolkit will help local authorities and operators work together in partnership to improve bus services across the country and help ensure the widest possible support for measures they want and need to introduce.

 
This article appears in the latest issue of Passenger Transport.

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