02 June 2011

Citybus Fares going up

Plymouth City Transport   Setright bus ticket, c.1971. Machine no 160 Citybus have announced their fare increase from 18th June:

Due to increases in operating costs, we have had to revise our fares, with the following changes being effective as of 18th June 2011. We have tried to cushion the fare increases by not increasing popular tickets like our adult all zone season tickets and our ever popular Dayrider Duo. We have also included a NEW Group Dayrider, allowing up to 4 people to travel at the same time throughout the day for £7, that’s just £1.75 each!
The headline news:
Single and Return tickets will increase by 20p, for both adult and child/student.

  • Dayrider tickets will increase by 20p, for both adult (new price £3.50) and child/student (new price £2.50).
  • Dayrider Duo will stay the same (£5)
  • Family Dayrider will be replaced by a new Group Dayrider ticket, allowing any 4 people to travel at the same time for the whole day for just £7, that’s £1.75 each!
  • 7 Day Paper Tickets for all zones will stay the same price for adult (£14), but will increase by £2 for child/student (new price £12). Single zones will increase by £1 for adults (new price £12) and £2 for child/student (new price £10).
  • Dayrider Voucher Books of 12 Dayrider tickets will increase by £2 for both adult (new price £35) and child/student (new price £25). Dayrider Duo 5 voucher books will remain at the same price (£20).
  • Transfer Tickets, which is a Dayrider valid for 1 hour from time of issue will increase by 30p for both adult (new price £2.80) and child/student (new price £2).
  • 7 Day Smart Card & PayPoint Tickets* for all zones will stay the same price for adult (£14), but will increase by £2 for child/student (new price £12). Single zones will increase by £1 for adults (new price £12) and £2 for child/student (new price £10).
  • 28 Day Smart Card & PayPoint Tickets* for all zones will stay the same price for adult (£52), but will increase by £3 for child/student (new price £45). Single zones will increase by £5 for adults (new price £40) and £7 for child/student (new price £35).
  • 90 Day Smart Card & PayPoint Tickets* for all zones will stay the same price for adult (£156), but will increase by £10 for child/student (new price £135). Single zones will increase by £15 for adults (new price £120) and £21 for child/student (new price £105).
  • Annual Pass Smart Card Tickets* for all zones will stay the same price for adult (£560). Single zones will increase by £23 for adults (new price £400). From mid August this product will now be available for child/students at £480 for all zones and £340 for single zone.
  • Direct Debit all zone passes will stay the same price at £47 per month based on a new minimum 6 month contract. Single zones will increase by £4 per month (new price £36).
  • *From mid August 7, 28, 90 day and annual smart card products will be available to children and students.
So the 'on bus' fares which most passengers will notice will increase by 20p, for both adult and child/student. That is quite a jump when they would normally be expected to go up by 10p each.
This has been picked up by quite a few visitors to my little blog and there has been a lot of debate as to whether Citybus fares are now more than Firsts. Having used a bus pass for years now I must admit I dont really know the answer to this. Certainly at the moment on my regular journey First are more expensive. I can see I will have to sit at the front of the bus to take a few notes on what passengers are paying for a more detailed analysis. If these fares dont make Citybus more expensive then they certainly close the gap between the two companies.
The other feature of the new prices is the closing gap between adult and child fares with child tickets rising a lot more than the adult equivalents.
Creative Commons licensed flickr photo shared by Sludgegulper

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10 comments:

  1. It must be very close if First aren't now cheaper!!

    First are certainly cheaper for Day tickets... £3.30 First, £3.50 Citybus. Weekly 1 zone, £10.50 First, £12.00 Citybus, 1 zone monthly, £35 First £40 Citybus. And the 3 monthly equivalent would be £105 with First and £120 with Citybus... not to mention the fact you get full months with First compared to only 28 days with cVitybus.

    Hope First don't follow suit they could gain an advantage on regular season ticket customers on the man routes here I reckon.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You need to remember that an FDC dayrider has less "value" than a PCB dayrider, based simply of the number of routes and services operated by each Company in Plymouth

    ReplyDelete
  3. Also PCB provide a better evening service than FDC

    ReplyDelete
  4. Maybe true...but if you want to use it for a night out, FDC go to much nicer places...lets be fair a night at Mountbatten, Turnchapel, Saltash or Yelerton beats Southway or Whitleigh any day of the week!!

    Also quite a few areas have both operators, and if you travel regularly FDC are way cheaper!!

    Plus I suspect Citybus evening routes will disappear sooner or later...Go Ahead have a bit of a reputation for cutting routes...See Sunday nights for example...how long untul that spreads across the rest of the week !!

    ReplyDelete
  5. well we (first) sell day tickets, so the comment they are worth less is pretty pointless, if people want to go to whitleigh they'll get a citybus???
    also we sell quite a lot of devon day riders and now the new 3 day riders which is really good value they are valid over the whole first devon and cornwall network! if you look at the bigger picture first and citybus are probabbly on a par for what services they operate we do more "out of town" which are a bread winners citybus concentrate on the city and make there monet that way.
    i might also add on most commonly shared corridors people buy single fare's on both bus companies they have no loyalty and get the first bus that comes along even though up untill now citybus are normally cheaper

    ReplyDelete
  6. and when i say first bus that comes along i mean timewise not the company!

    ReplyDelete
  7. TO ANON 00:55, IS THERE ANY CHANCE OF FIRST STARTING ANY NEW ROUTES IN THE NORTHERN END OF THE CITY.

    COULD DO WITH A FEW EXTRA PER HOUR ON DERRIFORD-MUTLEY-CITY ROUTES TO COMPETE WITH CITYBUS 40/41/42/44 ROUTES.

    AND PERHAPS EXTRA EVENING/SUNDAY SERVICE WOULD BE WELCOME..1 AN HOUR (SOMETIMES 2 WITH THE 82 ON SUNDAY)IS A BIT LAME!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Could First introduce a Dayrider Duo for £5 like Citybus...I think it is a very good idea....also how about an evening ticket for use after 6pm say £2.

    A First Plymouth Weekend ticket for say £5 - £6 would be excellent too I reckon..for use after 6.00 Friday to last bus Sunday night.

    What do youthink???

    ReplyDelete
  9. first are not interested in evening services which is why most are tendered!
    a dayrider duo, reduced fare b4 930 etc have been all raised through the union i beleive, and we were told they are not interested in that too

    ReplyDelete
  10. That's a shame..like I say I think Dayrider Duo etc would be popular.

    How about any new routes...perhaps Leigham, Crownhill, Mutley, City. A bit like the 15 fm Mainstone..which seems to be very popular It's the only one of the newer 5 UGO routes still going anyway!!!

    ReplyDelete

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