Only one in 10 bus passengers travelling in and around Glasgow are not satisfied with their overall journey, new research has found.

According to a survey by Transport Focus, 90 per cent of those using that form of public transport in Strathclyde were happy with their travel.

However, value for money was the greatest criticism by bus users in the region.

In Strathclyde as a whole, only 68 per cent of users felt they received value for money during their last bus trip. For First Glasgow, the largest provider in the region, that figure is 65 per cent, a six per cent drop on last year.

Read more: Glasgow bus 'stabbing': Praise for quick-thinking driver after rush-hour incident

Elsewhere, the satisfaction with First Glasgow's safety of driving went up by one per cent to 88 per cent, while punctuality and comfort dropped by the same amounts.

Andrew Jarvis, managing director at First Scotland said:“It’s concerning to see that our ‘value for money’ ratings have declined and we therefore acknowledge that there is work to be done to address this customer feedback.

“Travel by bus offers great value for money and we remain committed to working with local authorities and partners to improve the customer experience. By working together, local authorities and bus operators can make a real impact on congestion and air quality, provide better services for our customers, support local economies more effectively and ultimately help to increase passenger numbers.

“Customers are at the heart of all that we do and we will continue to focus on actions that deliver for them across all matters that impact their experience when travelling with us.”

The findings were part of a survey of almost 8,000 bus users across Scotland, which found that overall 91 per cent of Scots were happy with their last bus trip.

Read more of today's top Glasgow stories 
 

The research was done by the independent watchdog Transport Focus, and included services run by several operators, including First Glasgow and Stagecoach.

Its findings was released after official figures showed a fall in the number of bus journeys made in Scotland in 2017-18.

Almost three quarter of trips on public transport were by bus, but there were some five million fewer bus journeys than the previous year - a 1.5 per cent drop.

Robert Samson, senior stakeholder manager at Transport Focus, said: “Over 40 per cent of passengers in Scotland surveyed say the bus is the only real means of transport available to them, so it’s vital that their service is on time, reliable and offers good value for money.

“These results are good news for bus passengers, operators and transport authorities across Scotland.

“There are also huge variations in satisfaction with value for money ratings across Scotland, so there is room for improvement. Operators and authorities must work together to deliver radical changes that will attract new passengers and ensure bus continues to provide an essential lifeline to communities.”