Boost buses and trams

Buses, trams and other local transport make a huge difference to people’s lives and the places where we live. They reduce traffic and pollution and get millions of us where we need to go.

Did you know…

• A fully loaded double decker bus can take 75 cars off the road.
• The UK currently has just nine tram systems. By contrast, France has 28, and Germany has 60!

Campaign for Better Transport is working to protect and increase bus services and improve journeys, and to get more tram networks built.

Our campaigning is focused on…

Bus services

Buses need to be funded as the essential public service that they are. We are campaigning for bus funding to be fair and sustainable, to help ensure that there are better buses everywhere.

• Read our blog about the current situation with bus services.

Bus stops: a National Bus Stop Standard

With millions of people travelling by bus every day, bus stops play a vital role in people’s lives and in communities. We are campaigning for better bus stops, with seating, shelter and clear information on display to make bus travel easier and encourage more people to use the bus. The Government committed to developing national guidance for bus stops as part of the Bus Services Act. We want this guidance to form a robust and comprehensive National Bus Stop Standard as outlined in our 2024 report.

• Read our report, Better Bus Stops: Creating a national bus stop standard.

To help buses run smoothly and encourage more people to use them, we also campaign for more bus priority measures such as bus lanes.

Bus fares

Nobody should be cut off from opportunities, isolated or disadvantaged because they cannot afford to travel. We are campaigning for affordable bus travel, especially for groups that need it the most, and for better use of ticketing technology. More broadly, we think the pricing of different transport modes should be rebalanced to encourage sustainable travel.

• We successfully campaigned for a cap on bus fares, but more is needed.

Trams and light rail

We promote the great benefits of trams and light rail, and campaign to speed up the delivery of more networks across the country. Reliable, frequent, accessible and zero-emission, it’s time for trams to make a comeback!

• Find out why it’s time for trams, and read about our Tram Network, which supports local authorities considering trams.

Photo above: Transport for Wales