UK Bus Operator of the Year, Nottingham City Transport (NCT) is celebrating after scoring the highest customer satisfaction score of any city operator in the country, following the publication of the latest independent Transport Focus Your Bus Journey Results.
NCT’s overall customer satisfaction at 91% is eight percent higher than the average score of 83% for bus operators across England, and a two percent increase on the previous year. Satisfaction scores across the board have improved.
Transport Focus are the independent consumer organisation representing the interests of bus passengers. Bus passengers were surveyed throughout 2024 in almost 40 different regions on all aspects of their journey.
Bus passengers rate NCT services considerably above the national average in all areas and as amongst the best in the new East Midlands Combined Authority area.
- Satisfaction with buses arriving on time is 14% higher on NCT than nationally
- Frequency of services score 90% compared to 67% nationally
- Accessibility features on NCT buses considerably higher than national average with 91% satisfaction with on board audio announcements (76% national) and 95% next stop visual announcements (79% national)
- Bus driver satisfaction up three percent to 93%
- Provision of customer information rated at 89% – 23% higher than the England average at 66%
David Astill, NCT Managing Director said, “These are fantastic customer satisfactions scores for Nottingham City Transport and I’m proud to lead a team which continually delivers amongst the best bus services in the country, with scores well above the average for the rest of England”.
He continued, “These scores cannot be delivered by NCT alone, and are achieved through years of partnership working with our local authorities and now the East Midlands Combined Authority and Mayor. Partnership has worked exceptionally well here in Nottingham for several decades and these satisfaction scores demonstrate that partnership is the way to keep delivering excellent bus services locally”.
Satisfaction scores for NCT in the 2024 Survey are:
| Feature | NCT 2024 | England 2024 | NCT 2023 |
| Overall satisfaction | 91% | 83% | 89% |
| Value for Money | 84% | 80% | 73% |
| Punctuality (arriving on time) | 89% | 75% | 88% |
| Bus Driver (overall) | 93% | 87% | 90% |
| Driver helpfulness | 93% | 84% | 87% |
| Time to reach seat before pulling away | 90% | 85% | 84% |
| Smoothness of the ride | 88% | 80% | 84% |
| Bus stop safety | 87% | 75% | 83% |
| Bus stop information | 88% | 75% | 86% |
| Ease of getting on bus | 96% | 92% | 91% |
| Safety on the bus | 91% | 82% | 85% |
| Comfort of the seats | 91% | 78% | 86% |
| Cleanliness of the bus | 95% | 79% | 86% |
| Audio announcements on board the bus | 91% | 76% | 87% |
| Visual announcements on the bus | 95% | 79% | 90% |
| USB Chargers | 86% | 72% | 84% |
| Hearing Loops | 75% | 64% | N/A |
| Frequency of service | 90% | 67% | 87% |
| Information provision | 89% | 66% | 84% |
Louise Collins, director at Transport Focus said, “The positive changes seen across bus services in England have boosted overall passenger satisfaction. The changes show how government funding, hard work from local authorities and operators, and listening to what passengers want can improve journeys”.
Local Transport Minister, Simon Lightwood said, “Our Bus Services Bill will hand control back for local leaders to operate services, and it’s great to see areas like Nottingham, which already has a municipal bus operator, scoring higher than average satisfaction rates”.
