BUS passenger numbers have fallen by 10 per cent over the last five years, new figures show.
Official statistics from Transport Scotland show passenger numbers for 2016-17 were down three per cent year-on-year with the bus being the only mode of transport to have experienced a drop in usage since 2011-12.
In contrast, over the last five years car traffic rose five per cent, bike travel increased 15 per cent, ScotRail passengers rose by 16 per cent, air passengers by 22 per cent and ferry passengers by five per cent.
Over the same period, bus fleet sizes have fallen by 16 per cent, while fares have increased by five per cent in real terms.
However, three-quarters of all public transport journeys were still made by bus in 2016-17 – a total of 524 million.
Car traffic is estimated to have increased by two per cent to 35.4 billion vehicle kilometres.
Just under a third of journeys to work were by public or active travel in 2016, the same as in 2006. There were 4800 new electric and hybrid car registrations, seven per cent more than the previous year.
Emilia Hanna of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “We need less reliance on cars, if we are to have create cleaner air, lower climate emissions, less congestion and a fairer transport system.
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said the Government was committed to reducing the harmful effects of air pollution and noted the decline in bus patronage was “concerning”.
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