New figures from bus company First show a five per cent customer growth on its buses in West Yorkshire.

The company – which says the number of people using its buses have risen by 100,000 a week compared to the same period last year – has introduced service improvements in Bradford, Leeds, Halifax and Huddersfield that it claims have attracted more people to the buses. Improvements include more journeys on time, lower fares and investment in new buses.

More than 100 buses have been introduced over the last 12 months, as part of a £25m investment.

Now First has announced a package of fare cuts of up to 30 per cent on some Bradford bus services from January 5. The company is also introducing further vehicle investment as part of its plans to attract more people on to buses, working with local councils and Metro.

With an extra 100,000 people a week taking the bus, regionally, is our love affair with the car waning in light of fuel and maintenance costs?

While many people take the bus because they can’t afford a car, First’s five per cent customer growth suggests that rising numbers of motorists are also switching to public transport.

Dave Alexander, regional managing director for First in West Yorkshire, said investment in service delivery standards, prompting positive feedback, had led to fare reductions. He added: “All these improvements and our further investment plans are delivering better services for customers and helps us attract news customers from other modes of transport such as the car.”

Metro chairman James Lewis said: “Feedback from public transport users regularly tells us that in addition to reliability and punctuality, passengers rate value for money, customer service and comfort highly.

“It is good to see that by accepting the importance of these issues, First is carrying more passengers. I look forward to working with bus operators to extend these types of benefits to all bus users.”

Passenger Focus, an independent watchdog protecting the interests of bus and rail users, says getting the basics right is key for customer satisfaction, with factors such as getting a seat on punctual, frequent, reliable buses having most influence.

The attitude of bus drivers and difficulties customers face trying to find out information about timetables, routes and fares also had an impact, according to the watchdog’s research into bus passengers’ views on value for money.

It also found that young bus passengers’ needs are not always met. Young people surveyed said they’re more reliant on buses than many other passengers and because they need more flexibility to balance education, work and social lives. They resent paying adult fares when often still in education, training or low-paid work and think adult fares should be charged from 18 onwards.

Passenger Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: “Bus fares and passenger satisfaction varies widely across the country. In many places, bus fares increase by more than inflation each year. Passengers rightly expect buses to deliver them to their destination in relative comfort at the promised time.”

For information about timetables, routes and fares, passengers said they mostly rely on word-of-mouth and the bus driver. Many want more information online, at bus stops and on mobile apps.

Passenger Focus says the attitude of the bus driver makes a big difference, as for many passengers they’re the first and often only point of contact for information on fares, routes and service disruption and delays.

Safety on buses is also an issue for passengers. “I work late shifts and there can be trouble on buses. It’s intimidating to be on a bus full of noisy kids,” says bus user Caroline Mitchell of Idle.

“I sold my car because I can’t afford it, and I got sick of disruption caused by congestion. Bus travel suits me, but value for money is important and that covers safety as well as fares.”

Earlier this year the Telegraph & Argus reported that police officers were travelling on buses in Bradford to crack down on anti-social behaviour by youngsters.

Operation Trojan was set up on buses across West Yorkshire, in areas including Frizinghall and Heaton following incidents on buses, which police said included young people jumping in the road and throwing stones at buses.

Officers travelled in plain clothes, so were able to identify and deal with youngsters misbehaving. Police said the crackdown delivered a strong message to those who thought it acceptable to cause a nuisance on public transport.