BUS passengers in Poole are jumping on the vehicles in greater numbers than ever before.

In 12 months over 2014/15 a total of 10.2 million passengers were carried by buses in the borough, an increase of more than 400,000 journeys on the previous year.

Figures show that the number of passenger journeys in Poole has almost doubled since 2004/5 from 5.3 million.

Bus services have become the popular choice of transport following investment by bus operators in modern low-floor buses and improved timetables, making bus use more convenient.

Borough of Poole has improved bus shelters, raised kerbs at bus stops to improve access for passengers and supported the real time bus information system at stops via mobile phones and the internet.

Around 30 per cent of the journeys were undertaken by holders of English National Concessionary Travel bus passes, a slight reduction compared with last year.

Poole and Bournemouth were highlighted in last year's Department for Transport annual bus statistics as having the biggest increase in journeys in the country since 2004/5.

And Borough of Poole expects this to again be the case when the updated figures are published later this year.

"We work in partnership with bus operators and neighbouring authorities to make bus travel easier and convenient for more people," said Cllr Ian Potter, cabinet portfolio holder for transportation, Borough of Poole.

"The significant investment made by the bus operators and council in recent years has provided real benefit to bus passengers and buses are becoming an increasingly attractive form of transport in the area.

"We now have over 90 per cent more people travelling on buses in Poole than 10 years ago," he said.