Faster Buses, Faster Growth: Why Speed Must Be at the Heart of Transport Policy

Ambition for the bus sector has never been higher. Across the UK, national and local leaders are signalling a renewed commitment to making buses central to the country’s transport future. The government’s Better Buses Bill, the Bus Services Act, and significant new funding demonstrate a clear determination to unlock the full potential of bus travel.

At the same time, local authorities are placing buses at the heart of their wider transport strategies, recognising the essential role that reliable, high‑quality services play in connecting communities and supporting economic growth.

Yet despite this momentum, one issue continues to undermine progress: buses are still too slow.

Recent research from the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has found that, at present, buses in England typically travel at just 7.1mph in London or 11.7mph outside the capital. This is not a marginal operational concern. It goes to the heart of whether buses can compete with other modes, grow, and deliver value. If we are serious about encouraging people to leave their car at home and travel sustainably on public transport, speed must move from the periphery of policy to the centre.

The uncomfortable truth

Buses are not losing passengers because people dislike them. They are losing ground because they are stuck in congestion, undercut by cheap or free parking, and hindered by complex fares and fragmented information.

These are not inevitabilities. They are the result of choices, about road space, traffic management, and system design.

Speed is the critical lever

Speed is often treated as a “nice to have”. In reality, it is the most powerful lever for improving performance.

Faster buses are more reliable. They require fewer resources to deliver, reducing costs. That efficiency can be reinvested into higher frequencies, lower fares, or reduced financial support.

Speed drives productivity. Productivity drives growth.

Turning policy into practice

Improving bus speed is a shared responsibility between operators and transport authorities – and it requires both to act.

For local authorities, three priorities stand out:

• Road space allocation – If buses compete with general traffic, they lose. Continuous, enforced bus lanes and street designs that prioritise the efficient movement of people are essential. This is not anti-car; it is pro-efficiency – transporting the largest number of people per vehicle movement.
• Genuine signal priority – Too often, “priority” defers to general traffic. True priority requires active detection, coordination, and a willingness to hold cars when necessary. Every unnecessary stop delays dozens of passengers.
• Aligned parking policy – In many places, it remains cheaper to park than to take the bus. This undermines decarbonisation and access goals. Pricing must support, not contradict, policy objectives.

Operators must match this with equal focus:

• Simpler fares – Clear, capped, predictable pricing builds confidence and encourages use.
• Faster boarding – Contactless “tap on” reduces dwell times and friction. The technology is proven; rollout must accelerate, especially working with transport authorities on integration with other modes.
• Relentless reliability – Passengers value consistency over occasional excellence. Honest timetables and accurate information are essential.
• Integration – Co-ordinated timetables, fares, and information systems ensure seamless journeys.

Investment in action

At Arriva, I’m pleased to say this is not just theoretical. We are delivering a £340m investment programme to transform our UK bus operations, including replacing nearly 20% of our regional fleet within 18 months and electrifying eight depots. This will take our UK fleet to more than 750 zero‑emission buses, improving both journey quality and environmental performance. Alongside fleet upgrades, improving the end‑to‑end customer experience is essential. Our redesigned app and website are helping passengers plan journeys more easily and overcome one of the biggest barriers to bus use: uncertainty.

The cost of doing nothing

The impact of slow buses is real. On Arriva’s route 12 between Rhyl and Chester, journey times have risen by 27% over a decade, driving around a 25% increase in operating resources and costs. That is not sustainable – for operators, authorities, or taxpayers.

A shared agenda

Faster buses require genuine partnership. Authorities cannot design effective priority in isolation; operators cannot optimise services without supportive policy. Modal silos must also be broken down.

For instance, we’ve seen in London the impact that modal shift targets can have, and I’m delighted that Arriva is leading the way in calling for all public transport authorities to set clear, ambitious and measurable long-term modal shift targets to increase the share of journeys made by passenger transport.

But setting targets is only part of the challenge – how we think about buses matters just as much. Too often, buses are framed purely as a social safety net. That is a strategic mistake. Fast, reliable bus networks are engines of economic growth. They connect people to jobs, education, and services, and support thriving town centres and regional productivity.

Slow or unreliable buses do the opposite.

The choice

Buses are not inherently slow – they are slowed by decisions and, sometimes, local political will.

Prioritise speed through road space, signals, pricing, and service design, and passengers will respond. Growth will follow. Faster buses are not just a transport objective. They are an economic, social, and environmental imperative.

Faster buses mean faster growth.

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