Downturn in passengers using bus concessions

THERE has been a large drop-off in the number of people taking advantage of concessionary bus travel since the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new report.

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport report compares English National Concessionary Travel Journey (ENCTS) and Active Card Data for the calendar years 2019 and 2022.

The report was compiled by experts in transport logistics at the University of Plymouth, through the university spinout company Smart Applications Management Ltd.

It shows a 36% reduction in total ENCTS journeys across 18 regions studied, with the total number of journeys falling from 95 million in 2019 to 61.2 million in 2022. This is in spite of the number of active pass holders falling by just 2.6%.

Across England, the report found that the average number of journeys per active card had fallen to an average of 48 single journeys per year.

This included a reduction in the number of journeys by elderly pass holders of 38% and disabled pass holders by 28%, while the total journeys by male and female pass holders reduced by 32% and 36% respectively.