The whole infrastructure of public transport locally & nationally has been underfunded and profit driven for shareholders to the extent it's not fit for purpose on the whole.
There are pockets which will be good, buses and trams around where I am on the coast seem pretty good, on the odd occasion I do catch a bus they're really nice LED information screens, clean pleather seats, frequent, on time etc.
Would I consider risking travelling from home to a night game on public transport? No chance....either a bus or tram then train the latter may/may not run either to Manchester or back...so I use the car as being stuck in Manchester isn't a risk I want to take.
Sort out the system and people will come but, it's a long long way from being sorted, a reasonable service and reliable.