One in seven (14%) bus users have had to turn down or quit a job because it was too hard to get to, research shows. Two-thirds (66%) of business leaders say that poor transport connectivity is limiting their ability to hire the staff they need, according to the study by bus franchise operator Metroline.
Almost half of 18 to 24-year-olds (48%) say that better bus services could unlock higher-paid work, while 48% of the same group believe it would help them access education or training, the polling found.
Prime Minister's £2 fare cap
In one of his first acts as Prime Minister, Andy Burnham announced the return of the £2 bus fare cap, slashing day-to-day travel costs for millions of passengers. Bus users will see single fares limited to £2 across England outside London from January. It is part of the PM's plans to offer a cost of living lifeline to hard-pressed voters.
But Edward Thomas, chief executive of ComfortDelGro Bus & Coach in the UK and Ireland, highlighted issues outside of affordability, warning that poor transport connectivity is impacting both workers and businesses.
Impact on employers
On the employers' side, Metroline's study found around half of businesses say that their recruitment catchment area is limited by poor public transport links (52%). And more than two-thirds of senior business decision-makers surveyed (69%) agree that public transport issues affect employee punctuality and attendance, worsening other commercial pressures.
Almost three-quarters (73%) agree that improved local bus links would improve staff punctuality and attendance, 68% say that it would increase productivity, and the same proportion (68%) state that it would make them more likely to invest or expand in the area.
Mr Thomas continued: "Buses are critical national infrastructure and a lifeline to work, education and opportunity for millions of people across the country. Bus users are disproportionately affected by poor connectivity, which can result in a missed shift or someone having to turn down a job simply because they could not get there.
"Resolving this will not just lead to smoother journeys: it will unlock growth and economic value that is currently going untapped, improving livelihoods and allowing businesses to grow, invest and hire the people they need. However, these potential gains cannot be delivered by operators or local authorities alone. Genuine collaboration between public and private sector leads to better services, which in turn unlock real, tangible economic benefit for individuals and businesses alike."
Government response and funding
A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesman said: "Buses are a lifeline for millions of people and drive growth, which is why we’re investing over £3 billion to improve bus services, lowering the fare cap to £2 and giving eligible disabled people 24/7 access to free bus travel.
"We’ve also given local leaders more powers to design bus networks that best serve their areas through the landmark Bus Services Act 2025 – making services more reliable for passengers and putting buses at the heart of communities."
The Government is providing over £3billion over the next three years to improve bus services nationally, this includes nearly £700million per year for local authorities through the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) from 2026/27 to 2028/29.
Metroline's research was conducted by Censuswide between July 21 and 29, with a sample of 3,001 UK adults and 1,004 senior business decision makers.
