FACT
SHEET
1
Public Transport
Past and present
People have always needed transport to help them travel around and to move goods.
Some people have their own transport such as a car, motorbike or bicycle which they can
use for themselves. These are types of private or personal transport.
Lots of people use public transport. Public transport is accessible to everyone and anybody
can use it. Everywhere you travel you will find public transport of some kind - buses,
coaches, metro systems, taxis, trains, ferries and aeroplanes.
In the past, horses were an important part of public transport. They pulled carriages,
stagecoaches and trams. There was even a horse-drawn railway! After the invention
of the engine this all changed and new forms of public transport were invented, and
this allowed lots of people to travel longer distances in less time.
Buses are an important form of public transport in towns and villages. The first bus was
called an ‘omnibus’, it was cold and noisy. Modern buses have air-conditioning, comfortable
seats and some have a recorded message that lets you know when to get off. They
make lots of stops on their journey so it is easy to travel a short distance. This also allows
passengers to get on and off along busy high streets or on quiet roads in the countryside.
A double-decker bus can carry around 75 passengers, and 40 people can fit onto
a single-decker bus. Go-Ahead’s bus operations, which include Metrobus and Brighton &
Hove, carry around 1.7 million passengers every day on a fleet of more than 4,000 buses.
Trains are also important for travelling over longer distances and from one town to
another. Most towns and cities will have at least one train station. Trains travel at an
average speed of 137 kph (85 mph) but high speed trains can go even faster at over
200 kph (125 mph)! The first
trains were powered by
coal, now they use diesel
and electricity which is much
cleaner and better for the
environment.
Because trains travel on rail
tracks, they don’t get stuck
in traffic jams! Other types of
public transport that run on rail
tracks include metro systems,
tube trains and trams.
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FACT
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Public Transport
(continued)
Did you know?
There are over 34 million cars registered in the UK. If everyone used their car at the same
time there would be a massive traffic jam and if every car carried four people that would
be 136 million people!
136 million people can fit into: 34,000,000 cars
or onto: 355,000 double-decker buses
or onto: 94,000 trains
There are lots of good reasons to use public transport, here are a few of them:
• It helps reduce traffic congestion
• It’s better for the environment than a car
• You don’t have to worry about where you’re going - that’s the driver’s
responsibility!
• You don’t have to find a parking space for your car
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Go-Ahead
Customer service
Go-Ahead’s train and bus companies,
including Southern, Thameslink, Metrobus
and Brighton & Hove, are responsible for
over one billion passenger journeys every
year. We want to make sure that every one
of our passengers is a happy customer
who enjoys their journey and the service we
provide for them.
We put our passengers first and want to
provide high quality, affordable bus and
rail services for everyone. We think it
is important to communicate with our
passengers and we have set up ‘Meet the
Manager’ sessions where passengers can
meet the people who are running their local
bus and rail services, talk to them and ask
them questions. Every year, an independent
survey takes place to find out what people
think of our bus and train services.
We have created a travel smartcard called ‘the key’ which is a small plastic card with an
electronic ‘chip’ that you can use instead of paper tickets. When you travel you put your
smartcard on a touchpad to show you have paid. Using the smartcard means it is quicker
for people to board the bus and train. It’s much quicker than using a paper ticket.
Passengers who need a bit more help when they are travelling can use a ‘priority seat’
card which makes sure they get a seat on the train. We have created a tactile map for
people with sight problems, it uses bright colours and you can read it with your fingers.
These maps help people find their way around the stations more easily.
We want all our passengers to feel safe when they travel with us so we have installed
CCTV cameras on our buses and trains. The cameras film and record movement so if
there is a problem, we can look back and see what happened. We encourage people to
tell us if they have had any problems during their journey and the drivers, ticket collectors
and station staff are always happy to help and will use their phones or computer to report
any bad behaviour.
We work hard to make sure our passengers come first and we are always keen to hear
their comments and ideas so that we can keep improving and make our service the best
it can be.
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What is public transport?
1
1. Describe three different types of public transport -
Example:
A ferry is a boat which takes people or goods across short stretches of water.
Here are some suggestions:
Bus
Tram
Train
Taxi
Coach
Aeroplane
a
b
c
F ind out what form of transport these are and write a description for each.
Have you heard of any of them before?
Monorail
Omnibus
Trolleybus
The Underground (tube)
2. Write three good reasons for travelling by public transport:
a
b
c
3. Which forms of public transport have you travelled on?
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Mr Smile’s Letter
The Chief Executive of the Go-Ahead Group, who is in charge of running the company,
received this letter from Mr Smile. Read it carefully then answer the questions.
7 Sunny Street
Townville
Westhamptonshire
Dear Mr Brown,
I am writing to say how happy I am with your company! Last week the weather
was very hot, so I planned a family day out at the seaside for me, my wife
and our two children. We decided to use public transport rather than the car
because petrol is so expensive and I know that using the car is damaging for the
environment.
It was very easy to plan our journey. We used the Internet to find the times of
a bus and a train to take us to Sandysea. We got up early and walked to the bus
stop. We were all very excited! The bus stop had a shelter so we could stand in the
shade rather than in the hot sunshine.
The bus arrived on time and had a wide door and low step so it was easy to get
the baby’s buggy onto the bus. The bus was very clean and had comfortable
seats, my son thought it was great! The bus took us straight to the train station.
When we arrived we thanked the driver and she said, “Have a nice day!”
At the train station the departures board told us our train would be on Platform 3.
There was a lift to take us up to the bridge over the tracks, so we didn’t have to
carry the baby’s buggy up the stairs. We asked the platform attendant if this was
the right platform for the Sandysea train and he said, “Yes sir, it will be here in two
minutes”.
We got on the train and found some seats near the window. We had our tickets
checked by a friendly Southern member of staff. It was fun to eat our snacks as we
watched the countryside zoom by. The train arrived right on time, it was quicker
than using the car and we didn’t have to struggle to find a car parking space!
We had a lovely time on the beach and enjoyed a comfortable trip home. Thank
you very much for your buses and trains.
Yours sincerely,
Mr I Smile
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Mr Smile’s Letter
(continued)
Read Mr Smile’s letter, then answer the questions below:
1. Why has Mr Smile written this letter to Go-Ahead?
2. Why did Mr Smile choose to use public transport instead of his car?
3. W
hy is it better for the environment if Mr Smile and his family use public
transport rather than their car?
4. W
hat did Mr Smile think was good about the buses and trains he and his family
used?
5. Carrying a baby’s buggy can be hard work, what helped the family with this?
6. Do you think the Smile family will use public transport again? Why?
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Cars or Public Transport?
Everywhere you travel you will find public transport of some kind - trains, metro systems,
taxis, boats, trams and buses. Buses are great for local journeys and to travel in towns.
Trains are good for longer journeys and for travelling from one town to another town.
Many people use buses and trains every day and could not manage without them, but
there are lots of people with cars who have not travelled on buses and trains at all.
1. Can you explain what makes people travel by car?
Arguments FOR using the car
Arguments AGAINST using the car
2. Why are buses and trains a good form of transport for everyone?
3. W
hat are the ADVANTAGES of using buses and trains? Write down all of the
advantages you can think of as quickly as you can
Design a poster:
Public transport can be used by everyone! Now use your arguments and advantages
to design a poster to encourage people to use buses and trains instead of the car.
Include a slogan like ‘It’s better by bus’ to persuade them that public transport is a good
way to travel.
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Problems and solutions
Sometimes there are problems on the buses and trains. Go-Ahead works hard to find
answers to the problems so that every passenger enjoys their journey. The answers are
called ‘solutions’.
1. C
an you match the problems to the correct solutions?
Look on page 2 at the list of different transport problems that people have and some
solutions offered by Go-Ahead. Draw a line to join them up.
2. Can you think of any other problems people might have with public transport?
3. Can you think of any solutions to these problems?
4. Can you think of any more ways that public transport could be made better?
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Problems and solutions (continued)
Problems
Solutions
Shoppers in towns want to be able
to shop at any time.
Buses and trains travel to most
villages and towns, helping people
to get around.
People with disabilities have
different needs.
Bus and train drivers have special
eco-training to help them use less
fuel when operating their vehicles.
Some people like students, live on
a budget. This means they have to
be careful about how much money
they spend.
Passengers can look at the display
boards at stations and on buses,
and also use Twitter or Facebook to
see when the next train or bus will
arrive.
Some people cannot drive cars.
Buses and trains run frequently,
from early morning until late at
night.
Travelling can be difficult for
parents with small children and for
people with bags and luggage.
Discounted rail fares, bus passes,
Smartcards and special discounts
for students help passengers save
money when they travel.
Older people may need some help
getting on and off the bus.
There is lots of space on the bus
for bags and buggies and young
children can travel free.
Passengers want to feel safe when
they travel on the bus and train.
Passengers can use a special card
on some of our buses and trains to
show when they need a little extra
help or time to get on or off.
Passengers want to know if their
bus or train is delayed.
Bus drivers are trained to help all
passengers and wide doors and
low floors make travel easier.
People want to look after the
environment and use less fuel, like
petrol when they travel.
Friendly staff at the station and
on the buses and trains look after
passengers and CCTV cameras
keep a lookout too!
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A-C Glossary
Adverts/
Advertisements
These are notices displayed on buses, trains and at stations which try to
sell you things or encourage you to do something.
Affordable
When you have enough money to pay for something.
Bicycle
A way to travel which only has two wheels.
Budget
When you have a set amount of money to spend on different things.
Buggy
A chair on wheels that parents use to carry young children.
Bus
A large vehicle which carries people from one place to another for
money.
Bus fare
The amount of money paid for one journey on the bus.
Bus pass
A special ticket which lets you travel without buying a ticket for every
journey.
Bus route
The roads and bus stops that the bus visits on its journey.
Bus service
A bus route with its own number.
Bus shelter
A small building at a bus stop which stops passengers getting cold and
wet when they wait for a bus.
Bus stop
Special places with a pole or a bus shelter where the buses will stop.
Bus ticket
A small piece of paper that shows you have paid your fare.
Bus timetable
A time-plan which shows when all the buses arrive and depart.
Bus trip
A journey using the bus.
Car
A small motor vehicle which can usually only carry four people.
CCTV
This stands for ‘closed-circuit television’. It is a small camera that films
and records movement so if there is a problem on the bus or the train
we can look back and see what happened.
Children
Young people who pay a lower fare on the bus.
Clean
Well taken care of and washed.
Comfortable
Pleasant and relaxing.
Commuter
A person who travels by bus or train each day.
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C-O Glossary
Concessionary
ticket
A special ticket which allows you to travel at a lower fare.
Congestion
Traffic jams which cause delays.
Convenient
Something which suits what you want and causes no bother.
Customer
Someone who pays for a service. Bus passengers are customers.
Double-decker
A bus with two levels.
Driver
The person responsible for driving the bus/train. He/she is responsible
for the safety of the passengers.
‘Easy Access’
bus
A specially designed bus that makes it easy for passengers to get on
and off.
Environment
The place where we all live, which we all want to keep clean and
healthy.
Express bus
A bus which only stops at certain places on the route.
Fare
The amount of money you pay for one journey.
Ferry
A boat which carries you across water for a fare.
Frequency
How often the buses/trains run.
Integrated
transport
Combining buses, trains, metros, trams and ferries so that they can all
work together.
Journey
Travelling from one place to another.
Low cost fare
Low fares designed to help special groups of people.
Low floor bus
A bus with no steps at the entrance to make getting on and off easier.
Metro system
A system of trains which run mainly in towns with many of its stations
underground.
Minibus
A small bus used on routes where there are fewer passengers.
Noise
All the sounds we hear. Too much noise is a form of pollution.
Outward
journey
The journey from the start, to any point on the route, towards your
destination.
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P-S Glossary
Parking
Moving into a space so that the vehicle can stop safely.
Pass
A special ticket which allows a passenger onto the bus without giving
the driver any money.
Passenger
A person who has paid to travel on a bus/train.
Platform
A raised area where people get on and off a train.
Pollution
Anything which spoils the environment.
Public transport Buses, trains and other transport methods, when passengers pay
to travel.
Reduced rate
A special low fare available for some people.
Relaxed
Something that makes you feel happy and stops you worrying.
Return journey
The second half of the journey when you return to the place you started
from.
Return ticket
A ticket that takes you to your destination and back.
Route
All the places/stations that the bus/train will visit/call at on its journey.
Scholar’s pass
A special bus pass for children going to school.
Season Ticket
A ticket bought by regular travellers which saves them money on
a train journey.
Service
A bus/train on a particular route/line, which has its own special number
departing at a particular time.
Shopper
A person going to town to visit the shops.
Single-decker
A bus with only one level.
Single ticket
A ticket that will get you there, but won’t get you back.
Smartcard
A small plastic card with an electronic ‘chip’ that you can use instead
of paper tickets.
Solution
The answer to a problem.
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S-Z Glossary
Station
Where you go to catch the train or bus.
Subsidised
Sometimes the government gives money to help bus companies
provide some bus services.
Tactile map
A map for people with eyesight problems that they can touch and read
with their fingers.
Taxi
A car and driver which can be hired for a journey.
Ticket Inspector A person that checks that you have the correct ticket while you are
travelling.
Ticket Office/
Travel Centre
A place where you can get information about buses/trains and buy
tickets.
Timetable
Information giving all the arrival and departure times for the bus or
train.
Top deck
The upper level of a double-deck bus.
Traffic jam
A hold-up in town when all the traffic stops moving.
Tram
Looks like a mix of a train and a bus. It travels on tracks through some
towns.
Train
A long vehicle with an engine at the front and carriages behind.
Transport
Any means of travel which carries passengers and goods.
Transport
network
All the different kinds of transport looked at as a whole.
Travel pass
A special ticket that allows you to travel for a period without buying
a ticket every time.
Trolley bus
A different kind of bus, run by electric power from overhead lines.
Visit
A journey to see a person or a place of interest.
Wheelchair
A chair used by people who have difficulty walking.
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