Public Transport Statistics Bulletin GB: 2009 Edition Supplement

Logo: National StatisticsThe Department for Transport has published National Statistics on public transport in Public Transport Statistics Bulletin: 2009 Edition Supplement according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.

The key points are as follows:

  • Local bus revenue per passenger boarding increased by 2 per cent in real terms in Great Britain to 85 pence per boarding in 2008/09 based on provisional figures.
  • Concessionary fare reimbursement to bus operators is estimated to have increased to £1.19 billion in Great Britain in 2008/09, up 12 per cent in real terms since 2007/08.  This followed the introduction of the national concession for older and disabled people in England in April 2008.
  • Public transport support for buses in Great Britain is estimated to have increased by 3 per cent in real terms to £1.18 billion in 2008/09.
  • Bus Service Operators’ Grant (BSOG) in Great Britain increased to £504 million in 2008/09, a real terms increase of four per cent.
  • Local bus operations in Great Britain cost £1.81 per vehicle kilometre or 96 pence per passenger boarding in 2008/09 based on provisional figures.
  • Light rail and tram systems in England saw a four per cent fall, in real terms, in their average revenue per passenger in 2008/09, to 95 pence per boarding.
  • In England, there were 71,000 licensed taxis at the end of March 2009. This represents a rise of three per cent since 2007, the last time this survey was carried out by the Department.
  • The number of parking badges for disabled people (Blue Badges) on issue in England increased by two per cent to 2.46 million between 31 March 2008 and 31 March 2009. 

Notes

DfT are currently undertaking a methodological review of its Public Service Vehicle survey. The estimates of bus patronage, costs and revenue for 2007/08 and 2008/09 are based on a new estimation methodology and are provisional. Trends between the two years should be interpreted with care and comparisons with previous years will be distorted until prior years are revised. Further details can be found in Annex A of the release.

Publication details

Published on 26 November 2009 by Transport Statistics.

Email bus.statistics@dft.gov.uk for queries concerning this bulletin.

For information about release of this product see National Statistics Online.

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