The effects of local bus deregulation in great Britain on low income families—the case of Merseyside

Abstract

The Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive commissioned the Oxford University Transport Studies Unit to undertake a study into the public transport needs of low income households on Merseyside with particular reference to the impacts of bus deregulation on such families. The study was undertaken in a number of outer public housing estates around Liverpool which contain concentrations of low income families totally dependent on public transport for their travel needs.

Such areas are “good bus territory” and are predominantly served by commercial bus services on which fares were increased substantially with the introduction of bus deregulation. At deregulation, services were very unreliable and there have been continual alterations to routes and timetables. As a result of all these factors, bus patronage has fallen by a third.

One aim of the study was to gain an understanding of the social nature of this reduction in bus use. The study aimed to ascertain the nature of requirements for public transport services of low income families and the manner in which the changes brought about by bus deregulation had affected these. One aspect was whether commercial services operating at fares not everyone could afford could be said to be meeting the needs of such areas.

The study was organised into two phases of interviews. The first phase involved group discussions with community workers and members of low income families. In the second phase, members of low income families were interviewed in their home to examine the issues arising in the group discussions in greater depth.

This study is one of the first to explicitly assess the transport requirements and problems facing low income families. It is the only known study of the impact of bus deregulation on low income families. This paper outlines the results of the study and the general lessons to be drawn from them.

Key words:

• Public transport
• deregulation
• low income
• Merseyside
• social effects
• equity