UK: Buses and trains take strain of petrol hikes

MOTORISTS are abandoning their cars and taking to buses and trains because of the rocketing cost of petrol and diesel, new figures reveal.
Public transport operators in Scotland say thousands of extra journeys are now being made on their services as fuel prices reach record levels.

Official figures from the Department for Transport show that car traffic has fallen UK-wide by 2% in the first three months of 2008 compared with the same period of 2007.


Official figures from the Department for Transport show that car traffic has fallen UK-wide by 2% in the first three months of 2008 compared with the same period of 2007.

ScotRail, which runs train services across the country, says passenger numbers have increased by at least 4% in the last year. Lothian Buses, which runs services in and around Edinburgh, reports a 5% increase while FirstGroup, which runs services in Glasgow and Aberdeen, says it has also recorded healthy rises in travellers switching to buses.

Scotsman