Bus fare increase in Sheffield

On 19th November, First South Yorkshire is going to rise by around 15, the third time in 12 months, the stacking rise for this year is whopping 36%. Just wonder has anyone one in UK has any experience on sharp increase on bus fare!?

Tommy

[ref=423598]tommykwan[/ref]  在 2005-11-18 06:36 AM 發表:

On 19th November, First South Yorkshire is going to rise by around 15, the third time in 12 months, the stacking rise for this year is whopping 36%. Just wonder has anyone one in UK has any experie ...

Not Suprise as First Bristol increases fares twice in a year with 9% each time, as they said,

First has a fleet of 320 vehicles on city services in Bristol operating up to 18 hours per day, seven days a week and in the heavily congested traffic consume a huge amount of fuel. For every 1mph fall in traffic speed, there is a 9% increase in costs. The average fuel consumption for a bus in Bristol is 6 miles to the gallon. The increase in the cost of fuel is a global issue affecting all transport operators. The price of crude oil has risen by around 50% in the last year.

But, this happens only 'under pressure' and the MD will tell you why...

Alex Perry, Managing Director of First’s bus operations in Bristol said: “As a commercial company we have a responsibility to make sure we cover all of our day to day costs. The two biggest costs are staff wages and fuel for our buses and coaches. We try hard to absorb any increases in costs ourselves and to keep our fares as low as possible. I appreciate that our bus services are a vital link for many of our customers, so any decision to increase fares is always taken as a last resort. This time, it is the worldwide increase in the price of fuel that has pushed our costs to a point where, regrettably, I have had no alternative but to take the decision to increase some of our fares. However, I am pleased that we have been able to keep the price of Off Peak Returns and FirstDay, FirstWeek, FirstMonth, FirstYear unchanged. This gives regular customers good value for money, especially for anyone who then uses the bus at weekends or in the evening”.

One thing we now know is each First Bus Company has a profit target goal to acheive each year, if the company fails to reach the target, their MD may take the responsibility.

Of course below the profit target goal doesnt mean they are losing money, as they said on the corporate website

First is the UK’s largest surface transportation company with a turnover of nearly £2.7 billion a year and some 67,000 employees across the UK and North America.

Forget about First Devon & Cornwall, otherwise it just a monopoly game in the bus industry, but playing in a slightly poor manner only.

What a contrast


Well, they just increased the fare back in January... #???
Let's see if they will do that again two months later

Bristol is one of the highest bus fares in the UK, just let you know how much this company charged passengers for each journey:-

First Day Bristol
Adult £3.60 (before 0900 Monday – Friday)
£3.00 (at all other times)
Student £2.70 with photocard  Child £2.40

FirstTen costs £18.00 (1.80 per journey)

Travelling within Bristol area, £2.00 is the minimum and the Raillink has a flat fare of £1.20

[ref=424399]norrislaw[/ref]  在 19-11-2005 10:55 發表:

Bristol is one of the highest bus fares in the UK, just let you know how much this company charged passengers for each journey:-

First Day Bristol
Adult £3.60 (before 0900 Monday – Friday)
£3.00 (at all other times)
Student £2.70 with photocard  Child £2.40

FirstTen costs £18.00 (1.80 per journey)

Travelling within Bristol area, £2.00 is the minimum and the Raillink has a flat fare of £1.20

Oh no

Another contrast
[down]

Max fare here only £1.10

Below is a quote from First South Yorkshire news from their website saying exactly the same EXCUSE. Also the promise on price freeze is not like a promise as there is some trick with the increase fuel and staff cost, which mean promise is simply not a promise.

Our single fare between 1-2 mile in Sheffield is 1.50

TWM is a different story as their Operating area is so much bigger and simply a kind monopoly.

I heard Brighton is quite expensive too. Wonder how much it cost their.

Tommy

First, South Yorkshire’s leading bus company, has today announced new measures to combat cost pressures with an increase to prices from Saturday 19 November.

Over recent years First has been hit by above-inflationary cost increases partly affected by global issues such as high energy prices. The company is now committed to freezing fares until January 2007 unless the economic situation changes and in particular if energy costs rise.

Brandon Jones, Commercial Director of First in South Yorkshire commented: “We continue to invest in our business to improve the level of service we offer to customers. In recent months we have improved punctuality, achieving 93% despite increased traffic congestion, and increased levels of staff training in customer care. We are pleased that this investment has proved to be successful with improved levels of customer satisfaction and the very high level of punctuality as recorded by South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive’s survey teams.

“However, our costs continue to rise at a rate well above inflation and over the last five years have increased by nearly 40%. We have done all we can to shield our customers from these increased costs, for example, by purchasing our fuel at discount rates and by improving productivity within our business. We will continue to do the best we can to manage costs, become more efficient and find better ways of working. Unfortunately, we have reached a position where we have to pass some of our extra costs onto passengers.

“Despite these increases our discount tickets still provide excellent value. We continue to offer unlimited travel across South Yorkshire at great rates with FirstWeek tickets costing just over £2 per day and FirstMonth tickets working out to less than £1.80 a day.”

He added: “We are also giving our customers a commitment that we will not change our fares again until at least January 2007 as long as the economic situation does not change and particularly energy prices do not rise again.”