Decline in Leeds city bus journeys after fare increases

Almost a million fewer bus journeys were taken in the city in the three months after fares were last increased, a report has found.

Transcript

00:00How often do you use a bus to get around Leeds? A recent report by the West Yorkshire Combined

00:06Authority suggests there was a decline of almost 1 million journeys between April and June this

00:11year, which was shortly after fares were increased, compared with the same time in 2024.

00:17A Leeds City Council Scrutiny Board was told reductions in services and an increase in ticket

00:22prices from the end of March were among the reasons for the decline under the West Yorkshire

00:27Mayor's fares scheme, the cap on single fares rose from £2 to £2.50 and the day saver

00:34price increased from £5 to £6. West Yorkshire-wide figures show there were 2.3 million fewer

00:41journeys, which is an 8% decline. In Leeds, bus use was down 6.9%. A report to the meeting

00:48said a survey of 2,221 people found 10% were using buses less frequently since the fare

00:55increase. Around 69% said they could afford to use West Yorkshire bus travel whenever they

01:01wanted, which was down from 75% last year. A new franchised bus network is set to be launched

01:07in 2027, giving the West Yorkshire Combined Authority control over fares, routes and timetables,

01:14with talks currently being held with prospective operators of the Weaver network.

01:18It comes as chronic antisocial behaviour at Leeds bus station has been reported, with more

01:23than 460 incidents reported in six months. New figures show offences linked to drugs and

01:30alcohol were among the reports, with others involving verbal abuse and fighting in the

01:34York Street bus station.

01:36Police Community Support Officers will be in Leeds and Huddersfield bus stations between 4 and

01:417pm until the end of the year.