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 ser...