THE success of buses and trains around Wycombe conflict with a national survey, according to councillors.

The Audit Commission published a report on Wednesday which said that many bus and train services are unreliable, unsafe and an unattractive alternative to the car outside London.

The report found that good public transport makes a vital contribution to millions of people who do not have access to a car, such as the elderly, those on low incomes and people with disabilities.

But it also found that many people have a low opinion of public transport and less than a third of people say buses are a preferred option.

Mike Huddy, Wycombe District Council's planning, environment and transportation chairman, said: "Luckily we are literally moving in the opposite direction."

The council with Buckinghamshire County Council has put together the Wycombe Transport Strategy setting out aims for increasingly integrated transport over the next few years, including bus lanes, park-and-ride schemes and cycle lanes.

"Until not so many years ago, our transport services were not so friendly to use but we have come on leaps and bounds," said Cllr Huddy.

High Wycombe deputy mayor, Cllr Adam Gielgud, said: "We're developing cross-town services which eventually will run every ten minutes and there is so much more to commend our transport schemes."

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