New Benefit-Cost Ratio analysis reveals enormous value of bus travel

Greener Journeys worked with KPMG LLP to update the Benefit-Cost Ratios (BCRs) of bus travel, illustrating how investment in buses delivers value for money.

​The new research looked at the economic, social and environmental benefits of the bus, examining the value of concessionary bus travel, the Bus Service Operators Grant and investment in bus infrastructure.

This new analysis reveals that every pound spent on local bus infrastructure can generate more than £8 of benefits for local businesses, communities and the environment. The study, which explores the ‘true value’ of local bus services, also found that each £1 spent on concessionary bus travel for older and disabled people generates £3.80 in wider benefits to society.

Buses are Britain’s most widely used mode of public transport and carry more commuters than all other forms of public transport combined, helping to generate £64bn per year for local economies. This vital research demonstrates the significant contribution that our buses make in keeping the UK moving and growing.