'Communters ditch cars to take the bus'

Stagecoach Sheffield said improvements in the service they offer - including cheaper fares, increased frequency and new vehicles - have generated two million new trips on public transport.

It added that more than a third of these - 37 per cent - had previously been by car.

Of those interviewed, just over eight per cent said that they had switched from their car, with the main reason - 53.1 per cent - being that the Stagecoach service took them where they wanted to go direct.

Paul Lynch, managing director of Stagecoach Sheffield, said: "Although some passengers may have switched from the car because they are fed up with traffic jams, it is clear that many have taken green considerations into account and decided to leave their vehicles at home.

"The results of the survey support our theory that people can be persuaded to switch if they feel they can reply on an efficient bus service which is reliable, frequent and takes them where they want to go."

Stagecoach Sheffield has invested 4.1 million in a fleet of 41 new buses for its services in the city over the past 16 months.