The number of journeys made by public transport in Tyne and Wear rose by 7.1 million last year to more than 183 million, prompted by improvements to services and rising fuel prices.
Nexus figures for the 2008/9 financial year show that 91% of the growth was in bus use, where journeys by adult fare-paying passengers rose for the first time in 17 years.
There were also sharp rises in travel by children after the introduction last year of the new £1 Child Allday Ticket – or ‘Cat’ – by the Integrated Transport Authority, and among older and disabled passengers taking advantage of free travel to get out and about more.
Metro also saw passenger numbers rise above 40 million for the first time since 1991/92.
The 4.1% increase in public transport use helped reduce car journeys by 53 million vehicle-kilometres in Tyne and Wear during 2008.
Cllr David Wood, Chairman of the Tyne and Wear Integrated Transport Authority, said: “Public transport use is growing as people realise the quality and value it offers into town and city centres. Many people who gave bus a try because of rising fuel prices have continued to use them.
“The strong growth in bus use we have seen in the last few years is positive news for the whole region. Increased public transport use is good for air quality and the environment and helps reduce congestion.”
Robin Knight, Regional Chairman of the Confederation of Passenger Transport, said: “Bus operators in Tyne and Wear have been working with Nexus and local authorities for a number of years now to promote and improve public transport.
“These numbers demonstrate that we are very much on the right track. The opportunities the 2008 Local Transport Act provides to encourage partnership working is now universally recognised as the way forward and we believe continued investment in public transport, particularly in schemes to improve punctuality and journey times and the provision of park and ride facilities, will see these numbers growing even further.”
Nexus Director of Strategy, Tobyn Hughes, said: “We are working closely with bus companies and local councils to provide and promote better bus services in Tyne and Wear.
“These first signs of a change in attitude to bus travel means now is the right time to push ahead with the bold improvements in our three-year action plan, the Bus Strategy.
“Nexus, which owns and manages Metro, is also pushing ahead with a £300 million programme to modernise the system for more than 40 million existing passengers and many more who could be using it.”
Recent investments credited with boosting bus use include:
- More than £26 million investment in new vehicles by bus companies in the last three years.
- A £2.5 million new bus station at Washington Galleries part-funded by the Integrated Transport Authority and opened in October 2008.
- A new bus lane built by Gateshead Council on the busy Felling bypass opened in autumn 2007 and enjoyed by more than 1.5 million passengers a year.
- The opening of the £11m new Eldon Square Bus Station by Newcastle City Council in 2007.
The report by Nexus provides evidence that rising fuel prices in 2008 led to people leaving the car at home and switching to bus to save money – particularly commuters. Almost two out of three additional adult fare-paying journeys on bus were down to higher fuel prices.
There was 19% growth in the number of people buying bus season tickets instead of single or return fares, indicating commuters are making the switch.
Overall bus accounted for 91% of all growth in 2008/9, an extra 6.7 million journeys. Metro contributed 9% of growth after a four year period in which passenger numbers rose from 36 to almost 41 million.
According to the Department for Transport (DfT), traffic flow declined in all five districts of Tyne and Wear in 2008, with a cumulative decline of 53 million vehicle kilometres.
A full copy of the 129-page document, ‘A Year of Change: Nexus Business Intelligence Annual Report’, can be read at www.nexus.org.uk.