UK Bus Summit 2026: Key Takeaways

The UK Bus Summit took place this year in Liverpool, where key conversations were had surrounding the role of buses in connecting passengers with opportunities, people and places.

Our Business Development Director, Matthew Wilks, was proud to join the panel, “Non-negotiables: reliability, accessibility, affordability and safety” , discussing the essential role these priorities play in delivering better passenger experiences.

Here are four key takeaways from the panel:

The non-negotiables are interconnected. If one fails, it can undermine trust in the others. They work cohesively and should be treated as the minimum standard, rather than goals.

Matthew Wilks, described the non-negotiables as interconnected pillars that can’t be considered in isolation. He also emphasised that simplicity should be treated as an equally important pillar of the passenger experience. The passenger experience should be simple and seamless, regardless of the complexity behind the transport network. This means providing passengers with reliable and accessible journeys, regardless of location, as each non-negotiable can be carefully adapted based on the region.

Sarah Boyd, Chief Executive of Lothian, another panel member, noted that passengers don’t experience the non-negotiables separately, they experience them together. Rather than treating the non-negotiables as individual policy initiatives, they should all be considered as part of the whole passenger journey.

The panel discussed reliability as the biggest immediate challenge. When buses do not arrive, are late or are disrupted, passengers lose trust.

It was clear that reliability and accessibility are closely connected. A bus cannot be genuinely accessible if it does not arrive when people need it, or if delays prevent passengers from completing their journeys.

Neil Chapman, Product Design Director for Europe and UK at Bauer Media Outdoor, highlighted the need to better understand bus passengers and design bus shelters around real-world needs. Reducing uncertainty and anxiety for passengers can be achieved by ensuring there is consistency across the designs, especially for those who have disabilities. Many passengers that use buses often don’t have an alternative method of transportation, so it is important that services and infrastructure are designed to meet the needs of everyone.

Passengers are the ones who make the choice to use the bus or other transport modes. Therefore, any designs or decisions made around services, technology, policies or infrastructure should be based on real passenger experiences.

Sandeep Shingadia, Executive Director of Transport for West Midlands, emphasised the crucial role bus services play in connecting people to healthcare, communities, jobs and opportunities.

For many passengers, buses are not just convenient, they are essential. Taking a passenger-first approach and using lived experiences to inform decision-making can help deliver services which are not only more inclusive, responsive and better able to support stronger, more connected communities.

Technology and data have an important role to play in improving the passenger experience. Using data to drive improvements can help reduce uncertainty for passengers. Technology should be developed with public transport passengers and not just for them.

Brian O’Rouke, Chief Executive and Founder at CitySwift, emphasised how using data and technology can improve bus travel services. Brian described the timetable provided to passengers as a contract, if the contract is broken, trust with passengers is broken. Data collated from real-time information, bus schedules, ticket machines and vehicle location systems, can provide valuable insights into what changes can be made to provide the greatest impact on bus service performance.

Our four key takeaways from the UK Bus Summit point to a clear priority: reliability, accessibility, affordability and safety must be the minimum standard across the industry. These are not optional extras or separate considerations - together they are the foundations of passenger confidence. It’s time to make them standard, everywhere.

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