Public transport is rarely an election issue, and politicians know that big schemes like Britain's High Speed 2 train line – recently truncated to a shuttle between West London and Birmingham – will always grab headlines in a way that rural bus services won't.
Many of those who rely the most on public transport are living on the margins of society, and they are less likely to have the voting and lobbying power required to influence the corridors of power. And when large-scale improvements are made, they are often quickly undone.
There's one approach, however, which has a proven record of safeguarding public transport for citizens. In Switzerland, minimum frequency standards for public transport are enshrined in law – meaning each citizen can expect regular provision of bus and train services, even in rural areas. It is administrated at local level, with each of the country's 'cantons' setting out a framework for delivery.