An analysis of how British public transport service levels have changed, from immediately prior to the Coronavirus pandemic, to the domestic “lockdowns” of early 2021. Explores the political and practical meanings of service, describes changes overall and by nation/region, seeks explanatory correlations, reassesses service as connectivity, and draws some conclusions. A headline summary:
- 87% of public transport services have been maintained across Great Britain, with no evidence of disproportionate service cuts in rural areas.
- There is at best a weak correlation between change in service level and change in the viability of public transport for essential work travel.
- The bus sector has tended to protect mid-frequency routes that could have been made un-viable for essential work journeys, had service cuts been more uniform.
- National rail has cut services more harshly away from London, and emphasised strategic national connectivity over connectivity for work-related travel.
- Wales not only reduced service levels more than elsewhere in Britain, but did so with no particular regard for maintaining work-related connectivity.