Thousands more people could find work if bus journeys were improved, according to a new report published today.

A study for Greener Journeys, which promotes sustainable travel, found that four out of five jobseekers were heavily dependent on buses as they did not have access to a private vehicle.

Five billion bus journeys are made every year — three times as many as by rail — but services are under pressure because of spending cuts by councils, said the report.

Greener Journeys chief executive Claire Haigh said: “The role of transport in bringing about economic and social prosperity is often significantly underestimated.

“We hope decision-makers take notice of original ideas such as our proposal for a bus bonus scheme — which would help commuters with bus commuting costs — as well as how they can improve reliability and resilience of local transport networks, to harness the full potential of the bus clearly outlined in this report.”