Bus passengers in the East Midlands among the most satisfied in England

Bus passengers in the East Midlands are among the most satisfied in the country, with new figures showing particularly strong results for Nottingham, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

According to Transport Focus’s annual Your Bus Journey survey, 93 per cent of passengers in Nottingham reported a positive journey experience, placing the city second in England, just behind Warwickshire.

Elsewhere in the region, Derbyshire ranked sixth with 91 per cent passenger satisfaction in 2025, while Nottinghamshire placed seventh, one percentage point behind.

Derby City ranked 21st out of 43 transport authorities in England, with a satisfaction score of 87 per cent, down from 92 per cent in 2024.

The results have been welcomed by the Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, who said she now wants to see the strongest-performing areas set the standard for the whole region.

Mayor Claire said:

It’s fantastic to see places like Greater Nottingham leading the way, with one of the highest passenger satisfaction levels in the country. That shows what’s possible when you have a strong local focus, good services and a real commitment to putting passengers first – and it’s exactly the standard we want to see right across the East Midlands.

But these results also highlight the gap between the best and the rest. Through my Big Transport Conversation, people told me clearly that they want buses that are reliable, affordable and easy to use.

My ambition across the East Midlands is simple: a public transport system that works for everyone – connecting people to jobs, education and opportunity, and supporting the wider growth of our region. By listening to passengers and acting on what they tell us, we will build a network people can rely on every day.

The latest survey comes shortly after the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) became the official Regional Transport Authority for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Since 1 February 2026, EMCCA has taken on responsibility for transport plans, investment and bus operations across the region, working alongside local operators.

The Mayor also congratulated Nottingham City Transport, which was named the top bus operator in England for customer satisfaction with a score of 94 per cent.

Fellow Nottingham operator Trentbarton also performed well, placing 11th nationally with a satisfaction rating of 91 per cent.

Councillor Linda Woodings, Nottingham City Council’s executive member for regional development, growth and transport, said:

We’re delighted that Nottingham City Transport has come out on top as the best operator in the 2026 Transport Focus survey. This is a moment of celebration for our city – through public ownership, years of passionate and dedicated effort and tireless partnership working we have a bus operator that does Nottingham proud and that residents and visitors alike can rely on day in and day out.

Transport Focus said the survey, based on feedback from 48,000 journeys across 2025, gives an independent snapshot of passenger views on punctuality, value for money, journey times and the overall onboard experience.

Across England as a whole, overall bus journey satisfaction rose from 83 per cent in 2024 to 85 per cent in 2025.

Louise Collins, Director at Transport Focus, said:

The continued rise in bus passenger satisfaction this year shows that when government, local authorities and operators work together – and listen to what passengers tell us – real improvements follow.

 But the wide variation in results between areas demonstrates that some passengers still aren’t getting the reliable, frequent and good value services they need. We’ll keep using the insights from our Your Bus Journey survey to help local transport authorities and operators identify what’s working and where more focus is needed to help make bus the first choice for more people.