PASSENGER POWER

摘要

As a supporter of the UK bus industry, it is not always easy to remain upbeat. Patronage figures released recently by the Department for Transport show that bus usage in the UK continues to follow a downward trend that has persisted since the economic crisis of 2008. Even London - for so long a beacon of growth bucking the national trend - saw decline in 2016 for the second consecutive year. Councils warn of cuts to supported services and a few have removed funding altogether. At a major event in February, transport minister Andrew Jones told the great and good of our industry that we should no longer rely on local authority funding, while with a breathtaking sense of irony at the same time his own government legislates to give more power and influence to those very organisations.