ridership recovery

England's Bus Productivity Rose 8.5% Per Mile as Service Levels Lagged Post-COVID

England outside London recorded about 1.85 billion local bus journeys in 2024/25, with ridership recovering to 93.3% of pre-pandemic levels while service mileage recovered only 86.0%, lifting boardings per service mile 8.5%. The ratio reflects schedule trimming and cost control rather than a better passenger network, raising questions for cities planning fleet electrification.