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Coach
and Bus Good Practice Guide
1.
Before a Journey
2.
Bus Stops and Stations
3.
The Bus
4.
Fares and Tickets
5.
Punctuality and Reliability
6.
Complaints and Suggestions
7.
Consultation
3.THE
BUS
Bus users have a right to expect the buses used on their service to be
• clean and fresh
• easy to identify
• easy to board
• easy to move about in
• properly heated and ventilated
• driven thoughtfully
• comfortable
Clean and fresh buses are essential, and while it is accepted that in the course
of a day’s work buses do get dirty, some operators with high-profile services
arrange for them to be swept out at regular intervals during the day. THIS GUIDE
would like to see this idea more widely adopted, especially so in places where
free newspapers are available on the bus as these too often become an increased
source of litter during the day.
Ease of identification is often a problem for users in busy streets and at bus
stations. Comprehensive destination displays and clear company names will instil
confidence in bus users. Ease of boarding has improved greatly with the spread
of low-floor buses, but the advantages are sometimes lost because illegally parked
vehicles restrict access to bus stops, or where drivers make no effort to pull
up in a position that allows easy boarding. Advantages are also lost in those
situations where low-floor and step-entrance buses are mixed randomly on the same
service. Where it proves impossible to provide a service with the same type of
bus throughout, journeys operated by low-floor buses should be clearly identified
in the timetable and that type of bus must always be available for those journeys.
THIS GUIDE welcomes the moves towards more passenger-friendly buses and such features
as clear step edging, high-visibility handholds, and palmoperated bell pushes
on vertical handrails. Handholds should be sensibly sited and easy to use — some
holds and straps are out of reach of smaller passengers.
Circulating space on buses can often be restricted, particularly on mini- and
midi-size vehicles. For less mobile passengers on a busy bus, simply moving within
the bus can be a cause for concern. Modern designs have moved away from maximising
seating capacity, and often provide circulating space in the forward part of a
bus.
THIS GUIDE welcomes the provision of proper luggage and buggy space, together
with obvious and adequate handholds. Where wheelchair/buggy space is provided,
typically in the forward section of the bus, it is important that this provision
does not make it difficult for other passengers to find their way safely to a
seat, especially those who are older or less mobile. Luggage space should be designed
for easy use by passengers of all ages and levels of mobility.
It is important that there are clear instructions regarding the use of wheelchair/buggy
space and that drivers are well briefed and will act when there is any confusion
or dispute over the use of these spaces. Where, for instance, there are more buggies
than available space, it is important that buggies should be folded and not allowed
to obstruct the gangway, to the detriment of the mobility and safety of other
passengers.
TARGET: Bus operators should provide clear instructions
about the use of wheelchair/buggy spaces and drivers should be well-briefed to
enable them to deal with their enforcement.
Proper heating and ventilation would appear to be an automatic requirement, yet
THIS GUIDE receives many complaints about inadequately heated buses in the winter
months, and hot and inadequately ventilated buses in the summer.
Moves to better heating systems, including features such as double-glazing, automatic
temperature control and even air-conditioning might solve these problems in some
areas, but there are still too many buses that fall short of reasonable expectations.
Operators should ensure that existing heating and ventilation systems are in full
working order and well-maintained.
Thoughtful driving includes taking note of passengers with walking or vision disabilities,
wheelchair users, parents with pushchairs, and bus users who would appreciate
a chance to find a seat while the bus is still stationary. With modern, easy-to-drive
buses it is all too easy to accelerate briskly away from bus stops, which causes
distress to the less mobile, and those with buggies and other items of hand luggage.
The time ‘lost’ is infinitesimal; the value in terms of passenger safety, comfort
and confidence is great. Similarly, a simple welcome from the driver and engagement
with the passenger can work wonders.
Drivers should be encouraged to draw close into the kerb wherever possible, to
assist less-able passengers. Parked vehicles often make this difficult, but the
clearly designated bus stop road markings and bus-boarders adopted by some authorities
appear to have the necessary deterrent effect.
Comfort, even for a short journey, is essential. This means a comfortable seat
with adequate legroom - ideally not just the legal minimum - a suitable temperature,
a smooth and safe ride, adequate space and handholds for standing passengers,
a well-lit interior, and a generally unthreatening and stress-free journey. However
it is important to ensure that seat spacing is not so great that passengers feel
insecure when travelling.
Windows should not be obscured with marketing or advertising material to the detriment
of passenger visibility, and it should be remembered that passengers sometimes
need the reassurance of being able to see into a bus when boarding as well as
being able to see out of it whilst aboard.
Reasonable luggage space should always be provided. Overhead racks may be acceptable
on longer-distance coaches, but they are difficult for less able passengers to
use, and we welcome the luggage space provided at the forward part of the saloon
on most modern buses, which allows passengers to enjoy a more comfortable journey,
unencumbered by shopping bags and buggies.
Personal safety is a matter of increasing concern for many passengers, and there
is often a reluctance to travel later in the evening, or at the end of the school
day, or on the upper decks of double-deck buses because of rowdy, anti-social
and sometimes violent behaviour. Bus operators have a responsibility for the safety
of their passengers and staff, and we welcome the increasing adoption of closed-circuit
television with cameras positioned throughout the bus.
We welcome co-operation with police to tackle problems in particular areas and
at particular times and recognise the difficulties faced by drivers in potentially
dangerous situations. We would like to see all buses in two-way radio control
to reassure passengers that a fast response is possible in cases of trouble. At
the end of the day, passengers have a right to make their bus journeys in a safe
and unthreatening environment..
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