Bus still 60% cheaper

Catching the bus is around 60% cheaper than commuting to work by car despite falling fuel prices, according to a new study by Stagecoach. The study found that bus users save an average of £1,200 a year (or £100 per month) by leaving their car in the driveway. Pump prices are at their lowest level for four years, but the Stagecoach survey of around 40 key commuter corridors in England, Scotland and Wales found that using buses was still cheaper than the cost of fuel and car parking. The study, carried out between 13 and 16 January 2015, found the biggest savings were for people in the east of England. Bus passengers travelling between St Ives and Cambridge saved 83% compared to the car, amounting to over £5,500 a year. The study assessed the cost of making the journey daily by car, taking into account only the cost of fuel, parking and any toll road payments; no other costs associated with car ownership were included. The survey then compared the motoring cost with the price of purchasing a weekly multi-journey ticket on Stagecoach buses, which allows unlimited travel on Stagecoach services within the designated area.

Stagecoach Group Chief Executive, Martin Griffiths, said, ‘Delivering high quality, good value, reliable bus services is a shared responsibility between operators and local and central Government. Bus priority measures are essential to enable bus operators to deliver the reliable services that customers quite rightly expect but these can only be implemented with the support of local authorities. Like all bus operators, we face a number of challenges in being able to continue delivering low fares for customers – operating costs have risen in the last year and we do not see the benefit of the recent drop in oil price as the majority of our fuel costs have been agreed in advance. However, we believe it is vital to deliver affordable travel for our customers and this survey shows that we are continuing to offer fares that represent better value than taking the car. That is a crucial part of our strategy to continue attracting more people on to greener, smarter bus travel.’