£2 bus fares going up to £3

TheBanker

Amidst all the budget speculation about pensions and national insurance, this seems to have slipped under the MSE radar.

The Prime Minister has said the current subsidised £2 bus fares will increase to £3. 50% is quite a hike, but I don't think the scheme was ever intended to last as long as it has.

Not sure if any bus services offer the option to pre-pay so you can get your future journeys at the current rate, a bit like buying stamps before the prices go up?

XzavierWalnut

I think the £2 fare is a brilliant idea. Before it I probably used the bus once a year. Since this was introduced I use it a lot, especially when on holiday in England instead of using the car.
The £3 is not worth it, as that would be £6 return. I can buy a local day rover to get on all the buses and metro trains in my region for £6.

strawb_shortcake

TheBanker said:

Amidst all the budget speculation about pensions and national insurance, this seems to have slipped under the MSE radar.

The Prime Minister has said the current subsidised £2 bus fares will increase to £3. 50% is quite a hike, but I don't think the scheme was ever intended to last as long as it has.

Not sure if any bus services offer the option to pre-pay so you can get your future journeys at the current rate, a bit like buying stamps before the prices go up?

Personally I think this isn't too unreasonable, the £2 has been in quite some time now and as you say lasted longer than expected. I live near Bristol and bus prices have always been extortionate, years ago I paid £4 for a single to go 12 miles, and you couldn't get a return before 9am.

But, I do think some journeys will be overpriced, and single journeys in some areas that would have been under £2 were increased and will be increased again (certainly on the more rural buses). Seems more of a blanket fare than cap. 

elsien

Can’t remember the last time I used a bus - No point having a £2 fare if the buses are so awful that there’s none that run where/when you want to go anyway. 

I’d rather more money was put into  improving public transport, rather than subsidising those in cities who are well served anyway. 

ButterCheese

I used the bus the other day to get into town.  It would have been £2 to go 2 stops (about 5 mins) but was also £2 for us to go right into town (20 mins).  The bus companies, I think, are subsidising the longer journeys through charging the same rate for shorer journeys (which to be honest could be walked quite easily).

SiliconChip

It will be a decision of bus companies whether to increase their fares or not, the government is simply raising the level of the fare cap to £3. Companies are entirely free to keep the level of fares at £2 should they choose to. If they don't then you'll know it's because they are only in it for the money, not to provide a service.

Grumpy_chap

I was confused by the BBC "Bank of Dave" article on Breakfast today as there was reference to the change of bus fare cap impacting Working People and Pensioners.
AIUI, Pensioners still have the OAP bus pass.  Did I miss something?

Brie

Grumpy_chap said:

I was confused by the BBC "Bank of Dave" article on Breakfast today as there was reference to the change of bus fare cap impacting Working People and Pensioners.
AIUI, Pensioners still have the OAP bus pass.  Did I miss something?

Some pensioners are eligible and others are not - it depends on your age and where you live.  60 in Scotland and London but state pension age (so 66 currently) in England.  So if you start collecting your pension and the NRD is 60 or 65 you have to wait to get a bus pass in England.  Unless you collect certain disability benefits apparently. 

elsien

I guess technically if you're not collecting your pension then you're not a pensioner.
So I won't be a pensioner until either I'm 67 or I retire early on my works pension. 

SiliconChip

Brie said:

Grumpy_chap said:

I was confused by the BBC "Bank of Dave" article on Breakfast today as there was reference to the change of bus fare cap impacting Working People and Pensioners.
AIUI, Pensioners still have the OAP bus pass.  Did I miss something?

Some pensioners are eligible and others are not...

I don't think that's true if the definition of "pensioner" is "having reached the age of eligibiliy for State Pension", as all parts of the UK offer a bus pass at or before that point.

DullGreyGuy

Brie said:
60 in Scotland and London but state pension age (so 66 currently) in England. 

When did London leave England?

TheBanker said:

The Prime Minister has said the current subsidised £2 bus fares will increase to £3. 50% is quite a hike, but I don't think the scheme was ever intended to last as long as it has.

Not sure if any bus services offer the option to pre-pay so you can get your future journeys at the current rate, a bit like buying stamps before the prices go up?

The cap will rise, time will tell if actual fairs do and by how much. 

As to pre-pay... probably varies significantly by region. Never seen any that do the prepaid booklet of tickets like in other countries but many offer weekly, monthly or longer tickets