Supporters of Save Our Bus campaign in front of iconic red London double decker bus
More Londoners use the bus than any other type of public transport. The Bus Alliance makes the case for the importance of the bus to Londoners and aims to increase bus use.
The Campaign
The bus is London’s most accessible, affordable and well-used type of public transport, especially for those on lower incomes. But in recent years a lack of bus prioritisation has meant that journey times have hit historic highs, with bus use falling as people saw the service as unreliable and slow. Buses can be the main sustainable alternative to driving, but this increasing unattractiveness can push people back to cars.
The Bus Alliance brought together a collection of organisations across a range of interests – from public transport to business, and from air pollution to employment. Each partner brought insights and evidence that strengthened the shared case and allowed them to refine their approach. The Alliance sought to:
- Make sure the Mayor of London followed through on his manifesto commitment to prioritise the bus
- Increase borough-level commitment to these measures
- Influence Transport for London (TfL) to bring in new bus priority measures, including making bus lanes 24/7 permanently.
London TravelWatch staff in front of ‘Don’t cut the bus’ placard
More Londoners use the bus than any other type of public transport. For years the bus has had to compete with increased traffic on the road, and so buses are slower than they used to be. In the 12 months before the pandemic hit, average bus speeds were only 9.3 miles per hour, the third successive year in which speeds were that low. At that speed, by comparison, it would be faster to travel on the back of a donkey. So, there’s lots for us to do to make sure the bus is a priority once more.”
London TravelWatch staff in front of ‘Don’t cut the bus’ placard
More Londoners use the bus than any other type of public transport. For years the bus has had to compete with increased traffic on the road, and so buses are slower than they used to be. In the 12 months before the pandemic hit, average bus speeds were only 9.3 miles per hour, the third successive year in which speeds were that low. At that speed, by comparison, it would be faster to travel on the back of a donkey. So, there’s lots for us to do to make sure the bus is a priority once more.”
The Change
The campaign has had significant success, particularly in getting the Mayor of London and TfL to commit to and introduce bus priority measures. TfL created a Bus Action Plan, increasing buses as a priority and giving a clear plan of action to improve journey times by 10%. It also included a bus lane trial, in which most TfL bus lanes operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They have since announced that subject to statutory consultation, they will permanently operate the majority of bus lanes on London’s red route network at all times.
More than 21,500 people including the Bus Alliance responded to a TfL consultation proposing changes to more than 70 bus routes in and around central London. The strength of feeling against the bus cuts resulted in the Mayor of London finding an extra £25 million a year to support existing services and limit any changes. 18 of the 22 bus routes that TfL had planned to withdraw completely were saved. More than 50 other services will no longer be changed, keeping intact the services people rely on.
The Future
The Bus Alliance will keep campaigning to ensure that:
- Buses are more reliable: the bus needs greater priority on London’s roads
- Buses are more affordable: fare levels are kept as low as possible
- Buses are more connected: they receive fair funding to prevent cuts to services
If these things happen, the Bus Alliance is confident that more passengers will return to the bus.
Who else was involved?
London TravelWatch has been successfully leading the Bus Alliance since 2021. The Alliance was set up to make the case of the importance of the bus to Londoners and to reverse the decline in bus ridership. The Alliance comprises a wide group of people across transport and non-transport interests, including Campaign for Better Transport, BusinessLDN, Transport for All, representatives of London boroughs, and members of the London Assembly.
