Leicestershire bus fares to be cut to £2 per journey maximum for first three months of 2023

[davieG]

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/cost-of-living/leicestershire-bus-fares-cut-2-7983857

 

Bus fares across Leicestershire are to be capped to a maximum of £2 per journey under a new Government-funded policy. The Department for Transport has funded a £60 million 'Get Around for £2' scheme to cap the country's bus fares from today, Sunday, January 1 until the end of March.

The scheme will see bus services charge no more than £2 for a single bus fare, which will see estimated savings of up to a third on smaller, three-mile journeys, and much more for more rural and longer journeys. Most of the bus companies operating in Leicestershire are offering the deal, including Arriva Midlands, Centrebus, First bus, Kinchbus, and Stagecoach.

Roberts Travel is also offering a £2 single ticket service, but only on the number 20 service. The £2 fare cap will apply to single fares on all of the services provided by these operators, which can be paid for either by using the tap-on, tap-off method or by buying a ticket from the driver using contactless or cash payment.

 

If your fare is lower than £2, the Department for Transport has confirmed that you will still be charged the lower fare. If you buy day, week, or monthly tickets during this time, it's advised to see whether it is cheaper to buy the £2 single fares rather than the other tickets, as the change will only apply to the single fares.

The Government has introduced the cap to help people deal with increased transport costs arsing from the cost of living crisis, as well as boosting passenger numbers and supporting bus services as they continue to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. It is also to promote cleaner transport options around the country, with the scheme hoping to take two million cars off the road.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “By helping passengers outside London save almost a third off the average single bus ticket and taking two million cars off the road, the £2 bus fare cap is a fantastic way to start the new year. Buses are a key part of our vision for a clean, efficient and modern transport network that is affordable for everyone.”

Norman Baker from Campaign for Better Transport, said: “Affordable bus travel really is a win-win. Capping bus fares in this way will help struggling households, cut traffic congestion and carbon emissions, and inject new life into dwindling bus services.”

[Raj]

My daughter is 14 and goes into town now and again at the weekend during the day with her mates.

I nearly had a heart attack when she told me the price of a return ticket from Thurnby to city centre.

It was about £3.

I'm sure it was about 40p in my day!!!

 

[Zear0]

Do people not take buses due to the cost? 

[grobyfox1990]

32 minutes ago, Raj said:

My daughter is 14 and goes into town now and again at the weekend during the day with her mates.

I nearly had a heart attack when she told me the price of a return ticket from Thurnby to city centre.

It was about £3.

I'm sure it was about 40p in my day!!!

 

Yep, ridiculous. Taken the bus in Leicester a few times this year for the first time in years. £4.50 return to town. Unbelievable. Was £1.50 day ticket about ten years ago when I more regularly took the bus. Actually better off getting an Uber if you’re in a group of more than 1. 

[Raj]

4 minutes ago, grobyfox1990 said:

Yep, ridiculous. Taken the bus in Leicester a few times this year for the first time in years. £4.50 return to town. Unbelievable. Was £1.50 day ticket about ten years ago when I more regularly took the bus. Actually better off getting an Uber if you’re in a group of more than 1. 

Then our amazing Mayor Soulsby wonders why no one uses public transport!

If hes reading this, soulsby you are a deluded cvnt, keep eating from the trough and lining your back pocket(ALLEGEDLY!)

Happy new year!

[Paninistickers]

All well and good, but until a city gets a unified, integrated transport system, travel by bus to anywhere other than direct into town is futile

 

 

 

 

[ozleicester]

Wait till the bus drivers go on strike 

[davieG]

1 hour ago, Raj said:

My daughter is 14 and goes into town now and again at the weekend during the day with her mates.

I nearly had a heart attack when she told me the price of a return ticket from Thurnby to city centre.

It was about £3.

I'm sure it was about 40p in my day!!!

 

I’m not complaining because I consider myself very fortunate to have bus pass. Last year I hadn’t used it for a while and found out it was out of date so had to pay. I only had fiver so apologised to the driver but he laugh really loudly when he gave me 50p change I was totally shocked.

[davieG]

50 minutes ago, Raj said:

Then our amazing Mayor Soulsby wonders why no one uses public transport!

If hes reading this, soulsby you are a deluded cvnt, keep eating from the trough and lining your back pocket(ALLEGEDLY!)

Happy new year!

I’m always surprised when we the taxpayers stump up the majority of the cash to pay for their Electric buses

[davieG]

1 hour ago, Raj said:

My daughter is 14 and goes into town now and again at the weekend during the day with her mates.

I nearly had a heart attack when she told me the price of a return ticket from Thurnby to city centre.

It was about £3.

I'm sure it was about 40p in my day!!!

 

So wont help her then as these are only for single tickets. I wonder then how many people it will actually help.

[The Syrup]

Been using Arriva buses around Leicestershire the last few weeks and the amount of buses either not showing up or breaking down mid journey is ridiculous. Think they're having a big recruitment drive at the moment as they are short staffed.

[Saxondale]

It’s better than nothing. Will potentially help a lot of people who regular use buses to get to work etc.

[Jimmy]

1 hour ago, Zear0 said:

Do people not take buses due to the cost? 

same reason they don't use trains.

 

Costs too much & unreliable timetable 

[leicsmac]

The public transport infrastructure in the UK outside London is so far behind most other developed countries of comparable size it's not even funny.

 

It's a question of no one being willing to invest the time, money and disruption (and resultant public annoyance) it would take to make them the way they should be and offer a better alternative to cars for many more people.

[Alf Bentley]

1 hour ago, Raj said:

Then our amazing Mayor Soulsby wonders why no one uses public transport!

If hes reading this, soulsby you are a deluded cvnt, keep eating from the trough and lining your back pocket(ALLEGEDLY!)

Happy new year!

 

I honestly have insufficient info to know whether Soulsby does a good, a bad or a corrupt job.

But if inadequate, expensive bus services were mainly his fault, bus services in other places would be much better than in Leicester.......but they aren't, are they? Are they?

 

Over 40+ years, most bus services have been outsourced to profit-making private firms to cut council costs. Over the same period, central govt (under Con, Lab & LD, but mainly the Tories) has slashed local govt funding to the bone.

Much other public spending has been cut over recent years, but there are limits to how much central govt can slash spending on NHS, schools or the armed forces without getting blamed and losing votes.

No such problem with local govt......they can slash and burn to their hearts' content as they know lots of voters will blame the council/mayor for the crap services....leaving them free to run for parliament advocating low tax & great public services.

 

 

1 hour ago, Paninistickers said:

All well and good, but until a city gets a unified, integrated transport system, travel by bus to anywhere other than direct into town is futile

 

 

I don't dispute the benefits of integrated transport, but it's exaggerating to say anything other than direct into town is futile.

Plenty of buses link a number of different districts before reaching the centre - and there's the excellent Hospital Hopper service (General-Royal-Glenfield & vice-versa) - and circular routes, I believe.

 

Plus, this applies to county, not just city. Last summer, I did the 102-mile Leicestershire Round walk (Bradgate Park-Swithland Reservoir-Burrough Hill-Rutland-Foxton Locks-Peatlings-Burbage-Market Bosworth-Bagworth-Bradgate Park).

For each stage, I got a bus from Leicester to a village and returned from a different village after walking a stage. A few villages had no bus service and most had an infrequent service. In a few places, I had to go via Syston or Market Harborough.

But I was amazed that there was sufficient of a service that I was able to do the whole thing via buses.

 

45 minutes ago, davieG said:

So wont help her then as these are only for single tickets. I wonder then how many people it will actually help.

 

Following on from the above, as this scheme covers county as well as city, it will be a massive help to many in villages and small towns who use buses.

I live in Leicester, but on my jaunts last summer, I saw lots of people using buses to hop between villages or small towns - many pensioners, but also housewives, teenagers, all sorts.

 

Even in Leicester, there are benefits. I normally pay £2.70 back from town (I usually walk in) to Clarendon Park/Welford Road area. It must be £3-£4 for a single from Oadby/Wigston or similar distances.....and the county fares that I paid last summer were often £4-£7.

[davieG]

5 minutes ago, Alf Bentley said:

 

I honestly have insufficient info to know whether Soulsby does a good, a bad or a corrupt job.

But if inadequate, expensive bus services were mainly his fault, bus services in other places would be much better than in Leicester.......but they aren't, are they? Are they?

 

Over 40+ years, most bus services have been outsourced to profit-making private firms to cut council costs. Over the same period, central govt (under Con, Lab & LD, but mainly the Tories) has slashed local govt funding to the bone.

Much other public spending has been cut over recent years, but there are limits to how much central govt can slash spending on NHS, schools or the armed forces without getting blamed and losing votes.

No such problem with local govt......they can slash and burn to their hearts' content as they know lots of voters will blame the council/mayor for the crap services....leaving them free to run for parliament advocating low tax & great public services.

 

I find it strange that even after such a long time in government Leicestershire, an almost 100% Tory controlled is still the worst funded County Council in England

 

I don't dispute the benefits of integrated transport, but it's exaggerating to say anything other than direct into town is futile.

Plenty of buses link a number of different districts before reaching the centre - and there's the excellent Hospital Hopper service (General-Royal-Glenfield & vice-versa) - and circular routes, I believe.

 

Plus, this applies to county, not just city. Last summer, I did the 102-mile Leicestershire Round walk (Bradgate Park-Swithland Reservoir-Burrough Hill-Rutland-Foxton Locks-Peatlings-Burbage-Market Bosworth-Bagworth-Bradgate Park).

For each stage, I got a bus from Leicester to a village and returned from a different village after walking a stage. A few villages had no bus service and most had an infrequent service. In a few places, I had to go via Syston or Market Harborough.

But I was amazed that there was sufficient of a service that I was able to do the whole thing via buses.

Yeah there are quite a few circular routes and some direct to Fosse Park

 

Following on from the above, as this scheme covers county as well as city, it will be a massive help to many in villages and small towns who use buses.

I live in Leicester, but on my jaunts last summer, I saw lots of people using buses to hop between villages or small towns - many pensioners, but also housewives, teenagers, all sorts.

 

Even in Leicester, there are benefits. I normally pay £2.70 back from town (I usually walk in) to Clarendon Park/Welford Road area. It must be £3-£4 for a single from Oadby/Wigston or similar distances.....and the county fares that I paid last summer were often £4-£7.

I've no doubt plenty will benefit i was just commenting on that particular situation.

 

[Alf Bentley]

14 minutes ago, davieG said:

I find it strange that even after such a long time in government Leicestershire, an almost 100% Tory controlled is still the worst funded County Council in England

 

I'm curious about this myself and don't have a detailed understanding of council funding. Anyone have that sort of knowledge? @Finnegan?

 

While central govt can - and does - find ways to favour councils run by its own party, there are limits to that, so obviously slashed spending will affect Tory as well as Lab/LD councils....but that doesn't explain Leics, in particular.

From a quick Google search, one aspect of it seems to be regional unfairness in Council Tax rates. Apparently Council Tax rates are disproportionately high in the Midlands/North vis-à-vis house prices, compared to London/South.

 

14 minutes ago, davieG said:

I've no doubt plenty will benefit i was just commenting on that particular situation.

 

Fair enough. I assumed your comment "I wonder then how many people it will actually help" referred to the scheme generally, not just to Raj's particular example.

[kenny]

1 hour ago, The Syrup said:

Been using Arriva buses around Leicestershire the last few weeks and the amount of buses either not showing up or breaking down mid journey is ridiculous. Think they're having a big recruitment drive at the moment as they are short staffed.

They are getting really bad for not showing up and there is no way of reporting it to the council.

 

If drivers are the issue, then the sooner self driving public transport becomes the norm the better.

[Leicester_Loyal]

1 hour ago, The Syrup said:

Been using Arriva buses around Leicestershire the last few weeks and the amount of buses either not showing up or breaking down mid journey is ridiculous. Think they're having a big recruitment drive at the moment as they are short staffed.

 

2 minutes ago, kenny said:

They are getting really bad for not showing up and there is no way of reporting it to the council.

 

If drivers are the issue, then the sooner self driving public transport becomes the norm the better.

I'd imagine they're struggling for drivers because they're paid about £11 an hour to work in a pretty unhealthy job, work unsociable hours, work weekends and take abuse off the public. Even when they do fill the positions in, it takes weeks or even months (Those without a license) to train, possibly obtain a license and be passed out on the driving routes.

 

Self driving public transport is decades away, and we probably won't have the cash to invest in it even when it does finally become available.

[kenny]

8 minutes ago, Leicester_Loyal said:

 

I'd imagine they're struggling for drivers because they're paid about £11 an hour to work in a pretty unhealthy job, work unsociable hours, work weekends and take abuse off the public. Even when they do fill the positions in, it takes weeks or even months (Those without a license) to train, possibly obtain a license and be passed out on the driving routes.

 

Self driving public transport is decades away, and we probably won't have the cash to invest in it even when it does finally become available.

It's been used in many countries all over the world including the UK on the DLR.

 

There is talk of HS2 being driverless too.

 

The technology is here now for transport systems that don't work through the traffic, though Germany has been trialling a tram system since 2018.

[Leicester_Loyal]

3 minutes ago, kenny said:

It's been used in many countries all over the world including the UK on the DLR.

 

There is talk of HS2 being driverless too.

 

The technology is here now for transport systems that don't work through the traffic, though Germany has been trialling a tram system since 2018.

Trains can certainly be driverless atm, but it'll cost hundreds of billions, cash we don't have.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/driverless-train-tube-london-underground-tfl-aslef-boris-johnson-sadiq-khan-b1350150.html

 

For trains we'd need to totally re-do the whole line, the signalling, everything.

 

For cars, buses, etc. Honestly doubt I'll ever see those being driverless in my lifetime, but you never know.

[kenny]

Just now, Leicester_Loyal said:

Trains can certainly be driverless atm, but it'll cost hundreds of billions, cash we don't have.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/driverless-train-tube-london-underground-tfl-aslef-boris-johnson-sadiq-khan-b1350150.html

 

For trains we'd need to totally re-do the whole line, the signalling, everything.

 

For cars, buses, etc. Honestly doubt I'll ever see those being driverless in my lifetime, but you never know.

I'd be building trackless driverless teams on dedicated roadways on primary routes, supplemented by regular buses. This could be done more cheaply and quickly than traditional trams.

 

I suspect we will see some driverless elements on cars within 10 years. Tesla have proved the technology works and it's only going to improve as AI becomes part of every day lives.

 

 

 

[kenny]

13 minutes ago, Leicester_Loyal said:

Trains can certainly be driverless atm, but it'll cost hundreds of billions, cash we don't have.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/driverless-train-tube-london-underground-tfl-aslef-boris-johnson-sadiq-khan-b1350150.html

 

For trains we'd need to totally re-do the whole line, the signalling, everything.

 

For cars, buses, etc. Honestly doubt I'll ever see those being driverless in my lifetime, but you never know.

I've just read the articleand it's really odd that an operator is essential for safety in this country but not others around the world. I can't think of a single (unionised) reason why it would be different here.

 

[davieG]

1 hour ago, Alf Bentley said:

 

I'm curious about this myself and don't have a detailed understanding of council funding. Anyone have that sort of knowledge? @Finnegan?

 

While central govt can - and does - find ways to favour councils run by its own party, there are limits to that, so obviously slashed spending will affect Tory as well as Lab/LD councils....but that doesn't explain Leics, in particular.

From a quick Google search, one aspect of it seems to be regional unfairness in Council Tax rates. Apparently Council Tax rates are disproportionately high in the Midlands/North vis-à-vis house prices, compared to London/South.

 

 

Fair enough. I assumed your comment "I wonder then how many people it will actually help" referred to the scheme generally, not just to Raj's particular example.

No you're correct that comment was re the whole system coverage. It just seems a bit odd though as I would assume the majority of people would be wanting to return so to benefit they now have to make 2 purchases. It might also be not helping younger people much. I'm sure they've looked at all the different options.

[pleatout]

4 hours ago, Raj said:

Then our amazing Mayor Soulsby wonders why no one uses public transport!

If hes reading this, soulsby you are a deluded cvnt, keep eating from the trough and lining your back pocket(ALLEGEDLY!)

Happy new year!

Im not particular fan of Soulsby, but what have bus fares got to do with the City council.  AFAIK the bus companies are privately owned.