Steering the conversation: Welsh warmth wins friends on the bus
Instead of plugging in headphones or burying heads in books while travelling on public transport, people living in Wales are actually striking up conversations with strangers, as new research shows 40% of them have made long-lasting friendships with people they have met on the bus.
The newly commissioned research by First Bus, one of the UK’s largest bus operators, reveals that the bus is a place where chance encounters evolve into lasting friendships.
Perhaps surprisingly however, despite being famous for their friendliness, the Welsh don’t make the top of the list, being pipped to the post by Londoners, who make the most friends (46%) on the bus. That Welsh warmth comes in a close second at 40%.
Regions most likely to make friends on the bus:
- London – 46%
- Wales – 40%
- East of England – 36%
- North East, West Midlands – 34%
- East Midlands – 26%
- North West, South West, South East, Yorkshire/Humberside – 23%
- Northern Ireland – 22%
- Scotland – 19%
It’s clear that small talk on public transport helps strengthen community ties, as four in five (82%) agree that it’s important in supporting community connections and 46% believe the bus is a vital service in their community.
This rises to a whopping 88% of residents in Cardiff who agree that chit chat on the bus helps strengthen community connections, and 47% of Cardiff city dwellers believe the bus is a vital service, which is the highest of all cities asked.
Also, when asked how they would feel if the bus was no longer available for them to use, a quarter of Welsh people reveal they would experience feelings of isolation, which rises to 28% for those living in Cardiff.
To celebrate the role the bus plays in connecting communities through conversation, TV personality and Bristolian, Josie Gibson, joined First Bus on a tour of her local area, reminiscing on how the bus played a key role in keeping her connected to her community.
Speaking about the bus, Josie Gibson said: “My time reminiscing on the journeys I used to make when I was younger has been a great reminder of the wonderful way buses offer connection for people. The bus is the unsung hero within our local communities, so I’m not surprised to hear how many people are making long-lasting connections after a brief chinwag to the person sat next to them.”
First Bus is undergoing a huge transformation as a business, focusing on its passengers, and its people. The bus can bring everyone closer together and connect communities – buses don’t just move a nation, but they bring a nation together, every day.
As part of her work with First Bus, Josie helped share the stories of resilience, dedication and community spirit of just a few everyday heroes, representing the everyday of the many; showing how the bus brings people together. View Josie's video.
Doug Claringbold, Managing Director for First Bus, South and West Wales, said: “The bus is more than just a mode of transport, it’s a critical connector of people to each other and to their communities, and without it many would feel isolated and cut off. In fact, our research shows that nearly half (44%) of people say the bus is a vital service within their community.
“It’s been brilliant partnering with Josie Gibson to help promote the vital work buses do in connecting people to their local communities and we’ve loved getting to hear what a key part the bus played in her life and career too.”
Notes to editors
Methodology
Research was conducted by PureSpectrum among 2021 UK general consumers. The research fieldwork took place between 19th - 21st November, 2024.
About First Bus
At First Bus, we are on a mission to grow bus usage. We will get behind initiatives that move people out of cars and onto bus. We’re one of the UK’s largest bus operators, delivering over a million passenger journeys every week for the communities we serve. Transforming our business for the better, we’re putting our people and customers at the heart of all we do.