§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many(a) passenger journeys on buses and (b) bus trips per person per year there were in each of the last three years for which figures are available; [71330]
(2) how many (a) passenger journeys on local bus services and (b) local bus trips per person there were in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [71329]
§ Mr. Jamieson[holding answer 19 July 2002]: The Department collects details of passenger journeys on local bus services as part of the annual public service vehicle operators' survey. We do not at present collect information on passenger journeys on other types of bus service.
Figures for England are as follows:
(a) passenger journeys on local bus services Million 1998–99 3,719 1999–2000 3,732 2000–01 3,761 Source:
DfT annual survey of Public Service Vehicle operators.
(b) Local bus trips per person per year Number 1996–98 62 1997–99 59 1998–2000 58 Source:
DfT National Travel Survey. (Three year averages. Excludes trips made by non-householders, for example, tourists and students).
§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, (1) pursuant to his answer of 2 July 2002,Official Report, column 205W, on bus priority schemes, how many routes were operated by guided buses as part of the London bus initiative in each of the last three years; and what the average level of Government funding was for each route; [71383]
1258W(2) pursuant to his answer of 23 July 2002, Official Report, column 205W, on bus priority schemes, what the components are of the London Bus Initiative, including the breakdown of the purposes for which funding provided by Government have been used; and if he will make a statement. [71382]
§ Mr. Jamieson[holding answer 19 July 2002]: The London Bus Initiative (LBI) is a matter for the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL). I understand from TfL that improvements are specifically tailored to each route but could include:
- Upgraded buses;
- Improved safety measures;
- Improved accessibility;
- New bus priority measures;
- Improved customer information systems;
- Passenger waiting environments;
- Enforcement of bus lanes and other bus stop infringements.
There are currently no guided bus routes forming part of the LBI.
§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement on progress towards the output of(a) improved bus frequencies, (b) enhanced off-peak and (c) enhanced night bus services in London as part of the 10-Year-Plan; [71318]
(2) what the benchmark is against which he will judge the 10 year plan output of (a) improved bus frequencies, (b) enhanced off-peak and (c) enhanced night bus services in London; and what the subsequent performance statistics relating to this target are. [71317]
§ Mr. Jamieson[holding answer 19 July 2002]: The I 0-Year-Plan indicated a number of possible outcomes for transport in London which could be delivered over the life of the Plan, while making clear that the Mayor was responsible for specific priorities. In respect of improvements to bus services in London, we shall monitor delivery and from time to time we shall review the situation with the Mayor.
§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport. pursuant to his answer of 10 July 2002,Official Report, column 976W, on bus services, against what benchmark he will judge whether his Department is meeting its public service agreement to secure improvements in bus punctuality. [71372]
§ Mr. Jamieson[holding answer 19 July 2002]: We are considering the most appropriate means of measuring improvements to punctuality in relation to this target.
§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the accessibility indicator (households within 13 minutes walk of a bus stop with a service frequency at least once an hour was for(a) small urban areas three to 25k, (b) small urban areas three to 10k, (c) small urban areas 10 to 25k, (d) median urban areas, (e) large urban areas, (f) metropolitan built-up areas and (g) London boroughs in each of the latest three years for which figures are available. [71328]
1259W
§ Mr. Jamieson[holding answer 19 July 2002]: The proportion of households within 13 minutes walk of a bus stop with a service frequency of at least once an hour was:
England 1996–98 1997–98 1998–99 (a) small urban areas 3–25k 79 76 75 (b) small urban areas 3–10k 69 66 63 (c) small urban areas 10–25k 88 85 87 (d) medium urban areas 25–250k 95 96 96 (e) large urban areas over 250k 98 98 97 (f) metropolitan built-up areas 99 99 98 (g) London boroughs 98 98 98 In 1998–99 we introduced new funding to improve accessibility to bus services in all rural areas. Since that year, Rural Bus Subsidy Grant has supported 1,800 new or improved bus services in rural England. The grant was extended in 2001–02 to cover all areas outside towns with a population of 25,000 or more and has now been increased to £47.5 million this financial year. In addition, we are now supporting over 200 rural transport projects under the Rural Bus Challenge scheme, which was also first introduced in 1998–99.The source is the National Travel Survey and normally three years of data are aggregated. However, the sample numbers for rural areas were exceptionally low for 2000, casting doubts on the validity of using the data for that year within the indicator. To provide consistency across areas, the average for 1998 and 1999 has been used instead of the average for the three years 1998–2000, as previously published. Figures for the average of 1999 and 2001 will be published when the results for 2001 are released on 25 July.
§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he collates on the frequency of buses in London; and if he will provide such statistics for the last four years. [71498]
§ Mr. Jamieson[holding answer 19 July 2002]: Bus services in London are the responsibility of the Mayor and Transport "for" London (TfL), and my Department does not routinely collect this information. However, I understand from TfL that there are currently 322 high frequency routes (every 12 minutes or better) and 185 low frequency routes. These exclude school routes, mobility services and night services. Figures for previous years are not available.
Bus service frequencies are planned by TfL to allow the majority of passengers to use the network on a "turn-up-and-go" basis, with as many routes as possible running every 12 minutes or better. In general, service frequencies will not fall below hourly, including night services where applicable.