MORE COMMUTERS USING BUSES IN 2011

Emily Moore, Monday, February 13, 2012

The number of people travelling by bus has increased by 2.8% in 2011 with 3,250,395 passenger journeys having taken place during the year.

In 2011, the categories of passengers enjoying a healthy level of growth were:

Adults buying single journey tickets: up 1.9%;

Pensioners: up 2.0%

Unlimited travel pass holders (mainly visitors): up 9.0%.

The only category to fall slightly was Children and Students where figures fell by 0.1%.

The most significant growth category was commuter pass-holders where figures rose by 38.2%. Accordingly, the overall growth in passenger numbers can be attributed largely to the increased number of people travelling to and from work by bus.

The Sustainable Transport Policy (STP) released by the States of Jersey in 2010 revealed that in June 2009, 861 people travelled to work by bus during the morning peak period.

In December 2011, a survey conducted between 0700 and 0900 on all buses travelling into St Helier recorded passenger numbers of 1,677 - an increase of 48% on the 2009 figures of 861. This is also an increase of 20% on the 2010 figures of 1,391.

Connex Transport Jersey Ltd Managing Director Eric Le Roux said: '2011 has been a very encouraging year for public transport in the Island and very much in line with the STP target of a 100% rise in commuter figures by 2015.

'These figures show the success of our continued commitment to enhance the network through the provision of additional commuter services and our investment in new buses. These developments have increased capacity at peak times and strengthened the image of bus travel attracting more people onto the Mybus network.

'While the Sustainable Transport Policy targets are challenging, we are positive that they are achievable within the timescale. Further investment in both the level of services, the provision of high capacity and comfortable buses following in the mould of the new Enviro 200 and double deckers, and innovations in technology such as Smartcard ticketing, will help us to meet these objectives by 2015.

'In 2002, 2.4 million passengers travelled by bus. Just nine yeras later, we have welcomed more than 3.2 million passengers on board. We are committed to attracting more people onto the buses by improving public transport and helping to protect the environment by reducing gas emissions for the benefit of the local community.'

To view the full figures for 2011, please click here to view our activity report.