Accessibility and inclusivity of bus and coach travel

We are carrying out research to understand how accessible buses and coaches are, and how this can be improved.

About the study

The Department for Transport (DfT) has asked the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) to carry out this study to find out how they can make travel by bus and coach more inclusive. The research seeks to understand:

  • how accessible buses and coaches are
  • what makes travelling on buses and coaches a positive experience 
  • any barriers disabled people may face when travelling by bus and coach.

By taking part, you will help the Department for Transport to understand how bus and coach services could be improved. 

If you decide to take part, we will not tell the Department for Transport or anyone else, that you have taken part or what you specifically have said.

What will it involve?

There are two elements in the first stage of the project and we may ask you to take part in one or more parts of the study.

  • Online focus groups: If you decide to take part, you will take part in an online focus group with up to 6 other people lasting 90 minutes. During the group, you will be asked to discuss your recent experiences of travelling by bus and coach and any issues you had when travelling, as well as what went well. Don't worry if you haven't taken a coach recently, we'd still like to hear your thoughts. 
  • Online diaries: We will also ask a smaller number of people to complete an online diary task in the week before the focus group. In the online diary we will ask you to tell us a bit more about the bus journeys you have taken during the week. 

What does the diary involve?

  • The diary task involves you completing an online diary in the week before the focus group. We will ask you about any bus journeys you take during that time. We will send you the link to a website for you to create a private log-in. You will then be able to log into the diary and add information in different diary entries. 
  • We expect that you will complete one diary entry for each bus journey you take, up to a maximum of 5 entries in the week. Each diary entry will take between 5 and 15 minutes to complete. 
  • After you have completed the diary, a NatCen researcher will review your entries and may discuss the content of some of the entries during the focus group. No-one else apart from the research team will see what you have written in the diary. 
  • If you take part in the diary, we may use some of the content (what you have written and any photos you share) in the report we write for the Department for Transport, however we will make sure that it is not possible to identify you personally from anything we include in the report.
  • As a thank you for your time, we will give you a £5 Love2Shop voucher for one or two diary entries or a £10 Love2Shop voucher for three or more entries.

What does the focus group involve?

  • The focus group will take place in October 2023 and will be conducted via Zoom.
  • The focus group will last approximately 90 minutes and will be conducted by a NatCen researcher.
  • In the focus group, you will be asked to share and reflect on your experiences of using buses and coaches. 
  • There are no right or wrong answers, and you do not need to prepare anything in advance, we just want to hear about your views and experiences. 
  • You will receive a £40 Love2Shop voucher as a thank you for taking part in the focus group.

What will the second stage involve?

There are two elements in the second stage of the project:

  • Accompanied journeys: If you decide to take part, an AECOM researcher will accompany you on a coach journey from a location near to where you live to another location. During the journey, you will be asked about your experiences of coach travel, we are interested in all the aspects that might affect how you feel about travelling by coach.
  • Online survey: If you decide to take part, you will conduct a 15 to 20 minute online survey, hosted by Dynata. The questions asked will primarily focus on your experiences of bus and coach stops, stations and vehicles.

What does the accompanied journey involve?

  • An AECOM researcher will meet you at your home or a meeting point of your choosing and accompany you on a coach journey from a location near to your home to another location.
  • A return ticket will be booked for you, but the researcher will only accompany you on one leg of the journey. This leg of the journey will last between 1 and 2 hours.
  • There are no right or wrong answers, and you do not need to prepare anything in advance, we just want to hear about your views and experiences.
  • The researcher will make sure you are comfortable with getting home before you part ways after the research.
  • You will receive a £100 Love2Shop voucher as a thank you for taking part in the accompanied journey and the cost of your return journey ticket will be covered.

Do I have to take part?

You do not have to take part and you can change your mind at any time. If you do agree to take part in a focus group or accompanied journey, you can choose not to answer questions or talk about any experiences that you do not want to discuss. You can also take a break during the group or withdraw from the research without giving us a reason. 

You can also change your mind about completing the diary at any point and instead choose to only take part in the focus group. You can choose to do these things for any reason at all, and you do not have to share your reasons with us.

Everything you say will be anonymous. Only the research team will know you have taken part. 

For more information on how your data will be used, visit the privacy notice.

Why have I been selected to take part?

We are interested in speaking to people who have a long-lasting physical or mental health condition or impairment that affects their day-to-day life.

Contact us

If you have any further questions or would like to discuss the research, please contact us using the details below. 

Email: buscoach@natcen.ac.uk

Further support

Click here to view some organisations that you may find useful. Some of these organisations can provide you with information about accessible transport options.

Phone: 0808 281 9513