Arriva Bus (UK) Reviews 3,954

Arriva has one of the most useless and embarrassing bus services I have ever experienced in my life. Your timetable is a complete joke. It shows “due,” then suddenly changes to 10 minutes, then 20, then 30, then 40. People are left standing and wasting their time because your system clearly cannot do the most basic job.

Your drivers have even driven straight past me while I was standing at the stop and clearly signalling. I was the only person there, and the driver saw me and still didn’t stop. That is absolutely unacceptable and shows a complete lack of professionalism.

This service is completely unreliable and feels like a broken, poorly managed excuse for public transport. People depend on this to get to college and work, and instead they get delays, confusion, and frustration. Sort this out properly, because right now it is an absolute mess.

I don’t even know where to start, arriva is the worst bus company or the worst company I have ever been in contact with, buses are never on time and always get cancelled, you wouldn’t mind this if these buses were free to get on or even cheap, but paying £800 for a yearly bus pass you’d really expect some better service. I get the bus to and from college, additionally, the bus is always packed to the point where the driver won’t even let other people get on, the company doesn’t even acknowledge that they need to implement a double decker in place. Overall a terrible company, I would put a negative rating if I could

The number 4(telford) didn't show again the number 8 cancelled again, kids late for collage again. Service in telford is disgusting, you never know from one day to the next if your bus will turn it

Your buses are the coldest, dampest buses i have ever used. The plastic covered seats mean whenever you driver's brake heavily, which is very often you almost slide off the seat. So many cancellations atvthevlast minute which is maddening when you only have 1 bus to start with..
How i miss stagecoach buses.

The drivers are rude and cancel when they feel like it. I have to get the bus to work and they always cancel and laugh about it.

My mom had change address. I went on the feb. 4, to put in the transfer. And today is February 11. And she still don’t have no phone. Everytime I call they tell they try there the best to get to her today. I change internet, would change phone service. But that is the only one in Bruce. Bad business

Constantly late morning and night !! This this bus service is a joke, I have been late for work every time I use this service, even when I get an earlier bus it never on time. To be honest you better off walking.

Bus driver shouted 'for f sake', he said the full word, when he drove off before I'd got to the door and I said I still need to get off. He then slammed on the brakes and let me off. I had to travel downstairs from upstairs but wasn't doing it slowly. Just can't balance to do that when he is still driving so when It stops I go downstairs. He was unacceptably rude. Can't he just check the cameras to check there is no one trying to get off? He also was late to the bus in the first place.

8Route 121 is always late. Why don't they add more buses during school drop-off and pick-up times? It's all taken up by high school students. And when there's roadwork, what's the users' fault? Today was the worst. They say it'll arrive in 1 minute, but it takes 20 minutes, By the time you've waited 20 minutes or more 😡😡2 or 3 buses pass, we continue...

Yet again for the 6th time in a row the no 2 from blyth to kirkhill hasn't showed up. What the hell are you people playing at! 6th day late for work, 6th day 30mins wage taken off. Arriva needs to be scrapped and replaced with a competent company
Edit:
7th day in a row, thay are just taking the pi** now

Hi my name is denada i lost my red wallet in the 370 bus at 12:00 it went all the way to lakeside and i have all my cards money documents on there and I'm wondering if i can get it back email us thank you!

Bus 110 was supposed to arrive at 16:28, but it arrived 2 minutes early, so I missed it. Then you have to wait at least 30 minutes for the next one. On the screen, the bus that’s announced never comes. Seriously, it’s a joke. Having to wait this long in the cold is really frustrating

I wish there were an option for zero. I take this bus to work, and unfortunately, it is the only one that goes that route. I have never seen a rating of 1.3 in my life until I got here. Do you enjoy the dissatisfaction of your customers because it doesn't look like you plan to make it any better?
Your bus service from Castleford to Leeds is consistently late by at least 15 minutes; some days I wait 30 minutes. There is no compensation or remorse and it's gotten worse since winter and people wait in the cold. This is really sad

19:34 No.1 bus from Chester Station didn't show. Why have a timetable if you don't adhere to it? So hit & miss.

I would highly recommend arriva. As the bus drivers are extremely friendly and it's relatively cleen I normally have a relaxing time on the bus and it normally shows up on time.

Dear Arriva Customer Services,

I am writing to formally report and request an investigation into the conduct of a driver operating one of your services.

Operator: Arriva
Route: 101A (Luton to Stevenage)
Date: Wednesday, 28 January 2026
Departure time: 21:45 from Luton

During this journey, the driver repeatedly directed prolonged and noticeable looks toward my wife, who was seated as a passenger. My wife was wearing a niqab. The driver looked at her on at least two separate occasions in a manner that caused both of us significant discomfort and concern.

While I am not alleging intent, the behaviour was inappropriate and created a hostile and distressing environment for us as passengers. Public transport users are entitled to travel without feeling intimidated, targeted, or made uncomfortable, regardless of religious dress or appearance.

Given the seriousness of this matter, I formally request that Arriva:
1. Reviews the internal CCTV footage for the above service, date, and time
2. Identifies the driver involved (noting the driver was wearing glasses)
3. Investigates whether the driver’s conduct complied with Arriva’s standards of professionalism, equality, and passenger safety

This incident raises concerns under principles of equality, dignity, and respectful treatment of passengers. I trust Arriva will treat this complaint seriously and handle it in accordance with its internal procedures and legal obligations.

Please confirm receipt of this complaint and advise me of the outcome of your investigation or any further steps required.

Yours sincerely,

Buses need to be on time been waiting here 40 minutes for the 60 bus it’s disgusting especially in this weather

Almost passed out so many times, can you tell your drivers to WAIT if they see a child SPRINTING to the bus stop? Please?

Arriva are the worst operator of buses in the U.K. In Watford, occasionally, I have to endure their so called bus service. Today travelling from Watford General Hospital, 4pm on route 321, this bus clearly should not have been on the road. Problems with the bus transmission was evident as the bus starts moving, whether in traffic or pulling away from the bus stop, short sharp jerks all the time making for a very uncomfortable ride. One of the windows was so loose in its failing rubber seals with the window likely to fall from the bus as it rattles along its journey. This bus is from the Luton garage, clearly the government’s vehicle safety vehicle inspectorate need to visit this garage unannounced as I am very concerned about just how safe these buses are. This is not the first Arriva bus in the last two weeks I have travelled on where there are obvious faults with the vehicle. If passengers notice these vehicle defects, why then can’t Arriva? It’s all about money, maintaining buses, especially buses over 15 years old is expensive, so shortcuts are clearly taken. It’s not just buses from Arriva’s Luton garage that are defective , the same is experienced with Arriva buses from their Hemel garage. I will be contacting the Vehicle Inspectorate myself, but wanted to put this message here so that the public can decide for themselves whether to travel on Arriva’s defective vehicles.

Im often forced to wait outside for over an hour because buses never show up or never even leave the station. I just wish it was more reliable.