blog: Catch the Bus Month - Why the Bus Might Be Your Best Bet
Wednesday 18th September 2024
We are taking our ‘Catch the Bus Month Challenge’ seriously. In fact, we are so committed that we are taking every opportunity we can to try out different services and clock up some kilometres. Our recent ITP Advisory Group Get-Together at the Museum of Making in Derby provided a perfect chance to see if the bus could be a viable option for our Nottingham colleagues traveling to Derby.
If you were to ask Nottingham residents how they would travel to Derby using public transport (excluding cars!), most would likely choose the train. However, there is an alternative. The Red Arrow bus service operates a limited-stop, 24-hour timetable between Nottingham Victoria bus station and Derby Riverlights bus station.
We set about comparing the two options, with some of us taking the train and the more adventurous opting for the bus. So, how did they stack up?
Journey Time and Convenience: The bus journey takes about 35 minutes from station to station, with only two stops along the way, making it comparable to the train’s 20-30 minute journey. As our event venue was in the city centre, bus users had a much shorter and quicker walk compared to our rail compatriots who faced a 20-minute yomp in the wind and rain from the rail station on the town’s edge.
Bus 1 - 0 Rail
Cost: The Red Arrow is not included in the government’s national £2 fare scheme, so our bus group paid the £6.30 single fare. We didn’t return the same day, so we couldn’t benefit from the £8 ‘Zigzag’ unlimited day ticket. The cheapest single rail fare was £2.80, but most paid between £6.50 and £9.10, with some able to take advantage of buying an open return rail ticket. One younger staff member with a railcard couldn’t get a discount before 10:00, so paid full price for a single ticket on the outward journey, using their railcard for the return.
Bus 1 – 1 Rail
Comfort: The Red Arrow is marketed as a premium service, featuring coaches with red leather seats, free Wi-Fi, and air conditioning. It was certainly comfortable, although one of the group returned to Nottingham on a noisier, replacement saloon bus rather than the coach enjoyed on the outward leg. The train was similarly comfortable, particularly as we travelled off-peak and found seats easily on both legs of the journey.
Bus 2 – 2 Rail
Frequency and Punctuality: You can’t really argue with a ten-minute daytime frequency bus service between the two cities. Even if one bus was late – which it wasn’t – another would be along shortly without the need to even check a timetable. The train service is slightly less frequent and the timetable wasn’t clockface like the bus, although there are three or four trains per hour throughout the day. The trains were all on time on the days we travelled, but we all recalled recent experiences of less punctual journeys on stopping trains to or from Derby.
Bus 3 – 2 Rail
So, after a thorough and scientific assessment based on firsthand user experience, we concluded that not only is the bus a realistic alternative to the train for journeys between Nottingham and Derby, it is actually more attractive in many ways. We strongly believe in developing an integrated public transport network where buses and trains complement each other rather than compete. This experiment showed that buses are not second-class to trains and can compete on comfort, convenience, and reliability. Buses can reach the heart of our cities where trains often cannot, making onward journeys easier by bus or active travel modes.
Trying something new is difficult. Finding the information you need, worrying about reliability, quality, how to board, and how to pay can create anxiety and be off-putting. We need to support people through that process, and consistently show the quality and value for money that is out there. Hopefully, we have shown that the effort is worthwhile. So, go ahead and take the leap of faith, and try traveling by bus!
If you would like to know more about ITP’s commitment to public transport and how we can work together for a more sustainable transport future, please contact Clare Waldron.