Band 8+: The graphs below show the actual percentage of buses arriving on time, and the target set by the bus company, and also show the number of complaints per thousands journeys made by the passengers. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

The bar charts compare punctuality and target of the bus arrivals, and the number of complaints per 1,000 passenger journeys from 1990 to 2002.

Overall, it is clear that the proportion of buses running on time edged up, surpassing the target only at the end. Despite this improvement complaints per 1,000 journeys doubled, though with a dip in 1996.

Looking first at punctuality, the actual percentage of buses running on time stood at 83% in 1990, one point below the company’s target of 84%. The gap widened in 1993, when the figure dipped to 82% while the target rose to 85%. The performance picked up to 84.5% in 1996 and held at that level in 1999, falling just short of 85%. The final year saw the proportion rise to its highest level of 86%, surpassing the 85% target.

Turning to complaints, the number per 1,000 passenger journeys stood at 60 in 1990, before jumping to 100 in 1993. This was followed by a drop to the initial figure of 60 in 1996, but it rose again to 110 in 1999, even though the proportion of buses on time was unchanged. The upward trend continued in 2002, when complaints peaked at 120, exactly double the 1990 level.