Our vision for improving bus services

Our 2050 Vision

Vision:

Improving bus services

Bus services should be improved over time, to ensure everyone is connected to opportunities.

At Enroute, we strive to create a greener, economically-friendly, and community-influenced public and active transport network, encouraging modal shift from road and private car to sustainable modes of transport. We elaborate on our aims with our comprehensive vision for the transport network in 2050.

Our 2050 Vision draws on our work and the published work of other organisations. Whilst we highlight where our vision aligns with the views of other organisations, the 2050 Vision represents Enroute’s views and should not be taken to represent those of other organisations.

Minimum bus frequency levels

By 2050, buses should operate at the following frequencies:

For areas with a population of over 500, a minimum of 0.25bph should operate to a nearby urban settlement.
For areas with a population of over 1,000, a minimum of 0.5bph should operate to a nearby urban settlement.
For areas with a population of over 2,000, a minimum of 1bph should operate to a nearby urban settlement.
For areas with a population of over 4,000, a minimum of 2bph should operate to a nearby urban settlement.

In urban areas, bus frequencies should generally be higher. This will be controlled by Transport Authorities and the newly formed Buses Commissioner for Great Britain.

We define a ‘nearby urban settlement’ as a town or city with a population over 25,000 and with a railway station.

Bus stops in urban areas and main stops in rural areas should have modern passenger information systems installed, including audio and visual, which will show next bus departures, rerouting of specific services, and potential delays.

Serving smaller settlements

For areas with populations under 500, under our plans, they will not necessarily be served by a scheduled bus service.

We support research into new innovative transport solutions to serve these smaller settlements. This could include emerging technologies like Demand-Responsive Transport.

Electrifying the bus network

By 2050, all rural buses operating in England, Wales and Scotland should be electric, or a diesel/electric hybrid. By 2050, all urban buses operating in England, Wales and Scotland should be electric.

Cities should consider overhead trolleybus infrastructure on the densest, most frequent corridors. These are a proven technology routinely used in other countries. These networks could use battery buses which charge themselves from wired sections before continuing on branches using battery power.

More research is needed into the safety and efficiency of hydrogen buses before they are considered for wider rollout. We believe a combination of trolley and battery buses is likely to be the best solution for decarbonisation.

Integrating buses into the wider network

One role of the Buses Commissioner will be ensuring buses are timetabled to enable seamless connections. We propose the following principles to ensure buses are integrated with each other, and with rail, metro and tram systems:

Easy physical interchanges (with minimal walking time, step-free access and good signposting).
Integrating timetabling with rail.
Holding bus connections for late-running trains or other buses where feasible, and informing passengers when connections will be held.

Simplifying and reducing bus fares

We support the implementation of a permanent £1.75 maximum bus fare across England, Wales and Scotland, regardless of operator or operation type, subsidised by National Government.