On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, the annual survey of UK commuters revealed a significant drop in bus use among UK commuters, with a 19% decrease since 2024. This information was gathered from the fifth annual Mobilityways Commuter Census®, which received responses from 8,789 participants. The survey found that the increase in bus fares from £2 to £3 in January 2025 had a measurable impact on commuter behavior.
According to the survey, there has been a nearly complete reversal of the 17% increase in bus use that was recorded between 2023 and 2024, when the £2 fare cap was put in place. These findings highlight the price sensitivity of commuters when it comes to public transport and how quickly changes in policy can lead to shifts in transportation methods.
The Department for Transport’s own figures from the first half of 2025 also support the trend recorded in Commuter Census, showing a decline in bus patronage since the fare cap was raised. While the cap remains in place, the increase to £3 appears to have pushed many commuters back into their cars – with driving alone rising for the first time since 2022, according to Commuter Census.
The survey found that only 8.1% of respondents now commute by bus (including EV bus), down from 9.9% in the previous year. This drop is particularly concerning given the UK’s net-zero ambitions and the role public transport must play in reducing Scope 3 emissions.
However, the decrease in bus use could be due to a variety of other factors. In fact, 31% of respondents said they would consider switching to the bus as an alternative to their current commute. However, barriers such as reliability, availability, and journey time remain significant.
When asked what would encourage them to switch to public transport, 16% of respondents cited the need for more reliable, regular, and direct services. Meanwhile, 9% said there was no public transport option available to them at all.
“Commuters are clearly price-conscious,” said Julie Furnell, Managing Director of Mobilityways. “In our experience working with large employers, we’ve seen how quickly commuter behavior can shift when the right incentives are in place. This year’s data shows that when public transport is priced affordably, people will use it. The success of the £2 bus cap last year proved that affordability drives uptake. But when costs rise, even modestly, many revert to less sustainable options. This year’s reversal shows how fragile that progress can be without continued support.”
The data sends a clear message to policymakers: pricing and service quality are critical to encouraging sustainable commuting. While the £2 fare cap was widely praised for boosting bus use, the increase to £3 has had the opposite effect. Employers, local authorities, and transport providers must work together to make public transport a viable and attractive option.
For any media inquiries, please contact Amy Young, Senior Marketing Manager at 07930 885 639 or via email at amy@mobilityways.com. More information about Mobilityways can be found at www.mobilityways.com.
Mobilityways is a social enterprise and technology company with a mission to make zero carbon commuting a reality. Founded as Liftshare in 1998, Mobilityways was launched in 2021 to support employers in meeting their net-zero goals with its suite of climate tech tools.
These tools enable companies to measure, reduce, and report their commuter emissions, providing full visibility of commuting challenges and identifying sustainable travel alternatives for employees. Over the years, Mobilityways has worked with more than 1,000 companies to cut their commuter emissions. In the last year alone, they helped large organizations remove more than 5,000 tonnes of CO2e from the atmosphere and took 65 million miles off the road (enough miles to circumnavigate Earth 2,600 times) by encouraging employees to car-share, take public transport, or actively travel to work instead of driving alone.
Thank you for reading the full Commuter Census® here, including commuting mode changes, work travel patterns, attitudes towards commuting methods, and commuting emissions calculations.
ENDS