No. of Fare-payers: 44

No. of Free bus pass users: 44

 

Fare-payers (FPs): 57% were women; 32% use the buses daily; 32% were going to Swindon; 36% get timetable info from the bus stop; 30% said the buses were poor value; 39% were satisfied with the bus services; 9% wanted an improved bus service to Devizes and 32% wanted improved, express bus services to Swindon.

 

Free bus-pass users (FBPUs): 79% were women; 32% use the buses daily; 11% were going to Swindon; 36% get timetable info from the bus stop; 2% said the buses were poor value; 61% were satisfied with the bus services; 20% wanted an improved service to Devizes and 2% wanted an improved service to Swindon.

 

Conclusions:  

• There are significant differences between the FPs and the FBPUs in terms of choice of destination, value for money, satisfaction with services, desire for an improved service to Devizes and desire for an improved service to Swindon.

• A large majority of FBPUs were women. FBPUs are likely be using the buses for leisure purposes, e.g. shopping, visiting friends and family - this is why many of them asked for a variety of additional routes, especially an improved service to Devizes. 

• A small majority of FPs were women. FPs are more likely to be using the buses to get to and from work - this is why many of them asked for improved, express services to and from Swindon.

• Town Centre bus stop facilities in Marlborough compare unfavourably with those in Swindon: the Lloyds Bank bus stop is sheltered by overhanging buildings and 2 park benches have been donated by members of the public; the Ladbrokes bus stop offers very little shelter and no seating. Although the largest number of people relied on the paper timetable at the bus stop for information, no-one knew that they could get up-to-date information delivered direct to their mobile.

• By supporting the FP's desire for express bus services to Swindon we are more likely to be able persuade more people to use buses instead of cars to get to work, thereby reducing GHG emissions.