The UK's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) has uncovered that nearly £160,000 of taxpayers' money has been spent on a research paper on the "accessibility and inclusivity of buses and coaches".
Costing a staggering £159,698, the 98-page research paper includes results from thousands of people's experiences on bus and coach services, including questions on their "sexual orientation" and "ethnicity".
A section of the document noted that bus users' "feeling of safety" is shaped by "demographic factors, such as age, sexuality and gender".
The costly research concluded that the most common negative experiences were "buses being crowded, drivers pulling away before passengers were seated and aisles being narrow".
The paper has cost the British taxpayer nearly £160,000
National Centre for Social Research
The paper noted: "Feelings of safety were also shaped by demographic factors: women, those who did not identify as heterosexual and younger people were less likely to feel safe than others, and this interacted with disability.
"As a result, any changes to improve comfort would also improve feelings of safety as well, particularly among these groups."
The expensive paper from the National Centre for Social Research provided recommendations to improve people's bus and coach services, including extensive details on getting on, travelling and getting off buses.
It added that "stress and anxiety" are felt by disabled passengers when buses are overcrowded, and there should be more accessible toilets on coaches.
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The document also included details on the best practice in relation to bus and coach stops and stations, "including key features that enable accessibility and the desirable features that would enhance accessibility and inclusivity".
The extortionate £159,698 could have funded half a dozen new bus drivers or seven new coach drivers.
It could have also filled 2,218 potholes, a huge problem Britons face daily.
Reform UK have pushed for their own Doge unit, led by the former chairman of the party, Zia Yusuf.
Some six new bus drivers could be working instead of the pricey document
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The party piloted the scheme in Kent County Council at the start of last month, but has been criticised by senior local authority figures and opposition politicians as being a "political theatre".
Inspired by the unit set up by Elon Musk under Donald Trump, Doge aims to cut wasteful spending and "recommend actionable solutions".
Yusuf said: "For too long, British taxpayers have watched their money vanish into a black hole. Their taxes keep going up, their bin collections keep getting less frequent, potholes remain unfixed, their local services keep getting cut. Reform won a historic victory on a mandate to change this.
"As promised, we have created a UK Doge to identify and cut wasteful spending of taxpayer money. Our team will use cutting-edge technology and deliver real value for voters."
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