London TravelWatch has published its major piece of research Bus Passengers’ Priorities for Improvement in London, at its board meeting at City Hall, which sets out what London’s bus passengers want from their service, and highlights important distinctions between passengers inside and outside London.

Sharon Grant, Chair, London TravelWatch said: “At a time when difficult funding choices are being made, we thought it was important to find out what matters to London’s bus passengers. This is important evidence of what bus passengers think, and it is vital that Transport for London listens to the debate, and thinks carefully about how to meet passengers’ expectation and demand.”

The research has shown that punctuality and reliability are still of utmost concern to London’s passengers, but London’s passengers have different priorities to those nationally. Londoners are less concerned about having a seat on the bus and much less concerned about improving integrated ticketing. They are, however, much more concerned about clear bus destinations and a more effective Countdown system (electronic waiting time system at stops).

Sharon Grant continued: “London’s passengers’ priorities are different from passengers’ priorities nationally. This reflects the significant advances in meeting the needs of bus passengers in the capital - many of these improvements were advocated and pressed for by London TravelWatch.

"TfL would do well to take serious note of this research to ensure that these advances are built upon and the level of service is maintained to meet the demand.”

Passenger Focus have surveyed bus passengers nationally.

The full report is available to download from our website.


For more information, or a copy of the report, please contact the London TravelWatch press office on 020 7726 9953 or 07734 055494.

The voice of London's transport users
25 May 2010