Press releases

Passenger Focus to become the bus and coach passenger watchdog for England

08.04.2008

The government has today announced that Passenger Focus will become the independent bus and coach consumer watchdog across England (excluding London).

Creating a new bus and coach consumer role for Passenger Focus will ensure passengers get a stronger voice.  Passenger Focus will be gathering research and evidence from bus passengers, feeding this through to the industry and Government, influencing the decision-making process and helping to ensure passenger priorities are delivered.  Passenger Focus’s experience at working in partnership with industry, Government and other key stakeholders will help to improve bus services across England.

Anthony Smith, chief executive of Passenger Focus, said, “We are delighted to be given this exciting new opportunity. Extending Passenger Focus’s role to become the independent consumer watchdog for England’s bus and coach passengers is a logical way of joining up representation. Passenger Focus will now start talking to the industry and other stakeholders to discuss how the now role will work in detail.”

Passenger Focus's response to the Department for Transport’s recent consultation set out how it could make a contribution:

• a passenger-focused organisation will help increase attention on the passenger experience of the door to door journey
• a new evidence based approach will support change and improvement
• this new approach will be based on working with regional and local passenger and industry organisations.

Notes to editors

For further information on Passenger Focus’s submission follow the links below:

Passenger Focus - making a difference for bus and coach passengers using an evidence based approach

Executive summary of briefing on the bus industry produced by TAS consultancy for Passenger Focus

Briefing on the bus industry produced by TAS consultancy for Passenger Focus

Media enquiries regarding this release should be addressed to:

Krista Hamblin
Press officer
0870 336 6021/07918 626 045
krista.hamblin@passengerfocus.org.uk