London bus use still growing

NEW FIGURES on bus use in London obtained by Transit reveal that between 1999 and 2007 patronage in the capital increased by 45%, with passenger numbers increasing from 1,296m to 1,880m.

The strongest year during the eight-year period was 2003/04 when, thanks no doubt to the introduction of the congestion charge in central London, bus use increased by 10.8% in one year. Since then growth has slowed (see panel below), with just a 1.3% increase in 2005/06. However, in the last year patronage has...