Britains bus coverage hit 28 year low

[Trident 4194]

Off peak travel back in the 70s was lower because most people had jobs and were at work hence more buses in the AM and PM peaks

Isn't unemployment at it's lowest its ever been at the moment?

[Kevin]

Isn't unemployment at it's lowest its ever been at the moment?

You could argue that employment has changed since then, near enough everyone then was on daytime 9-5 jobs, nowadays shifts vary wildly

[Mike K]

You could argue that employment has changed since then, near enough everyone then was on daytime 9-5 jobs, nowadays shifts vary wildly

This.
Unemployment rose sharply in the 1970s before falling again in the 1980s. But we are a 24/7 economy now compared with the 1970s and shift patterns, and therefore travel patterns have changed. Also a lot more office workers have flexibility to work from home when they need to.

[Isle of Stroma]

Isn't unemployment at it's lowest its ever been at the moment?

Only if you call 4 million 'low'...

[Isle of Stroma]

This.
Unemployment rose sharply in the 1970s before falling again in the 1980s.

Actually, contrary to propaganda blaming industrial unrest, unemployment TRIPLED in the 80's, peaking in '84, a figure unmatched until this decade, where even that disgusting statistic has been outdone.

I Couldn't possibly suggest a common factor as to why...

[Mike K]

Actually, contrary to propaganda blaming industrial unrest, unemployment TRIPLED in the 80's, peaking in '84, a figure unmatched until this decade, where even that disgusting statistic has been outdone.

I Couldn't possibly suggest a common factor as to why...

I stand corrected - it was around 1980 that it rose sharply although it had dropped significantly by 1990. Must have been looking at the Daily Mail's figures  ;).

Anyway, best get back to bus usage or this thread could turn into a party political broadcast...

[Kevin]

Anyway, best get back to bus usage or this thread could turn into a party political broadcast...

Alas discussing bus usage while avoiding politics is near impossible

[Isle of Stroma]

Anyway, best get back to bus usage or this thread could turn into a party political broadcast...

I was going to say something, but Kevin beat me to it!

[Sandy Lane]

To be honest the pass scheme has it's plus points & it's negatives. In urban areas it has kept off peak pvrs high. But in rural areas it has meant service cuts due to the reimbursement rate.
I don't think a one size fits all is the solution & maybe transport tokens would be better for some areas.

Another factor on reduced bus journeys is the concessionary pass qualifying age. You used to get them at 60 yrs old but now it is 65, 66, 67 depending on what year you were born.  I would guess this has kept more older people behind the wheel of their cars?

[dingding]

You could argue that employment has changed since then, near enough everyone then was on daytime 9-5 jobs, nowadays shifts vary wildly

When I started on the buses at Coventry Road garage in the late 70's we had a PM peak'service extra' on the 36 and believe it or not there were four three bell loaded double deckers needed at Tyseley station to pick up the workers from there! The same thing happened at Formans Road and Shaftmoor Lane on the 31 and these were unadvertised extras to the main service. This situation occurred all over the system so back then the peak was far more pronounced than it is now and was the reason for the 'reduced' service in the daytime.