I’m not sure ‘confusion’ is the right word. He’s just speaking in tabloidese, as do politicians of every stripe these days.

 
I have only just seen this thread, so have missed the poll. Although rail is definitely my favoured land-based transport, I would have ticked ferry, particularly the few small ferries that still exist and allow you to enjoy the beauty of a river or estuary crossing while relaxing, or take you to a nearby island.

 

That's a pretty fair bet!   And are we governed on such confusion?

 
Sadly the Parish in which I live has not had a station since the 1840's when the temporary terminus at Hay Lane closed.  Still Swindon Junction station is a similar distance from the village centre and later Swindon Old Town station was nearer still.  There is at least a bus to the station in Swindon - though not one to Hay Lane. 

 
Perhaps he was confusing popularity with the volume of use. There will be a lot of people who need to use public transport but who do not have a railway (of any description) nor a tram, so have to use the bus. This is evident, for example, in the towns and villages around Didcot. Notwithstanding Didcot having a relatively good rail service to London, Reading and Didcot, if you live in Wantage, Abingdon, Grove, Harwell and the villages around, you have to get a bus. If you live in Reading, another place with good rail connections, and work in the town centre and don't live close to Tilehurst, Reading West, Theale or Early stations (including all the suburbs north of the Thames - Caversham, Emmer Green), you will have to use the bus. And I expect all forum members can give examples from all the towns and cities in the GW catchment.

 
Question:   What is your favourite form of public transport  (Voting closed: October 12, 2023, 10:32:46 pm)

Blindingly obvious result on a rail forum, I suppose.  We are out of step with Mark Harper, who considers the bus to be the nation's favourite public transport.    I wonder if he's a member and cast that one vote for bus?

 
I voted for rail.
Rail transport has declined significantly in both comfort/facilities and in reliability, but is still a bit better than most buses.
An electric train is better than a diesel bus from the climate change point of view, and a diesel bus probably comparable to a diesel train.

Electric buses are possible, both battery powered and trolley buses, but very little used as yet.
Electric trains are a mature technology.

 
I chose tram over train, because there is something about weaving in and out of streets and buildings that is, to me, intrinsically interesting. And perhaps the fact that opportunities to travel by tram are still, sadly, far and few.

I've just spent a month travelling extensively by bus (thanks to the Birthday Bus scheme) and I can say unhesitatingly that I prefer train travel. Which is not to say that buses don't have their place, but after an hour the novelty starts to fade...

 

I strongly suspect that the large black motor car that swept him away from Portway Park & Ride had earlier delivered him to Temple Meads...

 

He did arrive for the opening of Portway Park and Ride on a train ... but then left in private road transport.   

Very much horses for courses, indeed, when making the decision.   The question / poll is "like" based on the statement which I challenge of the bus being the nation's "favourite". 

Personally I like train travel more than I like bus travel, but  like both, though I probably make more journeys by bus than by train. But then I travel a greater distance by train than bus.   With train as district to bus, I like the faster journey, the smoother ride, the assurance that my destination is clearly labelled, the ability to move around while travelling and perhaps use the loo, the assurance of information and usually a shelter as I wait, and data that updates me as I wait for the service.  I could add the wider variety of places I want to go to, and comment on meeting friends and train managers who often exchange a friendly word.   I like the presence of friendly / professional staff at destination and interchanges too; we are at present the most used station in Wessex that does not have a staffed presence so I can't add that as an outbound like.

 
Horses for courses so far as I'm concerned. Depends on the purpose of the journey, the practicality of it, time available etc. Also a simple category such as bus or train can cover a wide variety of actual experiences that Mark Harper probably rarely or never experiences.

 
Mark Harper was on TV telling us that the bus is the nation's favourite public transport.  I'm not sure that I believe him - there's a difference between favourite and most used.