Public service vehicles (buses and taxis): April 2017 to March 2018

Main points

• The number of journeys undertaken on local bus services in Wales, and the total distance travelled, have stabilised in recent years. This followed a long term decline in bus usage.
• 99.9 million passenger journeys were undertaken on local buses in Wales in 2017-18. These services covered a total of 99.1 million vehicle kilometres. Commercial services accounted for 77% of the distance travelled and subsidised services accounted for 23%.
• The number of drivers and vehicles in operation increased in 2017-18, after a long term downward trend.
• There was a 7.7% increase in drivers to 3,798, and a 4.2% increase in the number of vehicles to 2,458.
• Bus fares in Wales increased from 2017 to 2018.
• Bus fares in Wales increased by 3.6% from 2017 to 2018, higher than the UK consumer price inflation rate over the same period.
• Taxi registrations fell (down 1.5%) but private hire vehicle registrations increased (up 3.5%) in 2018.
• In Wales, 5,007 taxis and 4,936 private hire vehicles were licensed as of March 2018.