Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 24
24
Acknowledged
Reduced bus usage by older and disabled people is not assured as genuine choice.
Conclusion
Older and disabled people are taking far fewer bus journeys than other passengers relative to pre-COVID bus usage; the number of concessionary journeys by older and disabled passengers is 29% lower than before COVID. The Department explained that fare paying passenger journeys are nearly at pre-COVID levels. However, because concessionary journeys make up a high proportion of total journeys, the total number of journeys is 9% lower than before COVID.57 We asked the Department to explain why older and disabled passengers had not returned to buses after COVID. Despite a growing population of people eligible for age-related concessionary 50 Q 53 51 Q 5 52 C&AG’s report, para 3.12 53 Qq 68-68 54 Qq 3, 5, 11 55 Q 11 56 Qq 3, 37 57 Q 9; C&AG’s report, para 1.9 and Figure 1 15 travel, fewer people are taking up their passes. The Department outlined some anecdotal evidence on changes to travel patterns it has observed since COVID-19 but could not assure us that reduced bus usage by elderly and disabled people is a genuine choice instead of exclusion due to accessibility issues.58
Government Response Summary
The response outlines potential factors contributing to the decrease in concessionary journeys, including discretionary travel, cost of living, and a shift to online activities. They will provide a further update to the committee within six months.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: April 2026 6.2 Concessionary bus journeys have been increasing year-on-year since Covid but remain below pre-Covid levels. As is often the case for behavioural changes, the evidence base underpinning this can be difficult to interpret and variable. 6.3 Available evidence, including feedback from local transport authorities, suggests that the key factors include: • more journeys made by concessionary passengers being discretionary – with any changes in bus service frequency or connections made to adjust to new post-COVID travel patterns potentially having a disproportionate impact; • the cost of living resulting in less disposable income and reduced leisure trips for some passholders; and • partial movement to online for shopping and medical appointments. 6.4 The Bus Services Act 2025 introduced key legislative measures aimed at improving local bus services and accountability, which the department anticipates will help to remedy any impact of service stability on concessionary travel. 6.5 The department will write to the Committee with a further update on its understanding of the barriers preventing concessionary travel within six months, and details of its plans to address them.