North East Lincolnshire buses rated ahead of Liverpool, Manchester and North Yorkshire

Ranked ahead of cities like Manchester and Liverpool, 87% of customers were happy with their journey on the buses across North East Lincolnshire. Taking into account factors such as value for money, driver friendliness and punctuality of buses, the service improved on nearly all categories from last year’s results.

Overall, the most common positive themes amongst passengers were the punctuality of buses and their experience with the driver.

All aspects that measure the rating of the bus driver improved last year too. Passengers felt they stopped close to the kerb, were helpful, gave enough time for passengers to get to a seat and drove smoothly.

Arguably the most notable change in 2024 was the reason people were using the buses. The majority of people (29%) were using it as a way of commuting to work with the next reason being shopping (28%). In 2023, those using the bus for commuting was much lower.

For many, using the bus was both cheaper and more convenient than travelling by car with others using it to benefit the environment.

A number of people also managed to travel on the bus free of charge. The biggest contributor to this cheaper bus travel was the introduction of the Concessionary Pass scheme which allows anyone with a disability or of pensionable age to travel on the bus for free all day every day until 11pm.

To sign up for a Concessionary Pass, visit Bus pass (Concessionary travel scheme) - NELC | NELC.

Aside from the journey, passengers were impressed by the bus stops themselves. Figures showed an improvement of more than 10% in terms of the information provided compared to 2023. They also commented on how safe they felt at the bus stop and were thrilled at the lack of litter when waiting for one.

Taking into account the service as a whole, they felt the service offered a great connection to other public transport and was the easiest way to get to local amenities.

For help planning your journey, visit Bus Journey Planner | Find Bus Routes | Stagecoach.

Matt Cranwell, Managing Director of Stagecoach East Midlands, said: "We're incredibly proud that once again Stagecoach East Midlands has performed well in a recent survey. We consistently strive to ensure that our buses, our routes and our driving team provide the best experience and service for our customers.

“To rank higher than large cities and regions is truly an achievement our staff can be proud of, and we'll continue to improve where possible for the benefit of our customers."