£1 fare launched to bring back elderly
BUS company First is to trial £1 early-morning fares for pensioners after a council subsidy cut.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council slashed the subsidy by £100,000 earlier this year, which means senior citizen pass holders boarding buses before 9.30am on weekdays have to pay regular adult prices rather than travel for free.
First says it has seen a "very significant" drop in passengers as a result and is to trial the £1 fares across all of its Stoke-on-Trent routes for four weeks from September 8.
Bosses believe the move will boost businesses in the region, which may have seen a drop-off in trade.
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It comes as members of the North Staffordshire Pensioners' Convention prepare for a day of action on Monday calling on the council to rethink the controversial initiative.
First Potteries general manager Peter Walch, pictured, said: "Since the council removed their funding we have seen a drop in customers before 9.30am – a very significant number of people are choosing not to travel by bus. "We are going to trial this £1 concessionary fare to see if it is worthwhile doing. It's our way of saying we've listened to our customers and we are trying to address the situation.
"It will assist our business of course but I think it will also help the market traders and shops.
"Large numbers of people are not going in to town, and even if they were just going to spend £2 that adds up and shops will have seen a downturn in business.
"Also some of the people that have concessionary passes still work and they will now be using their cars instead."
First is to trial the £1 fare for four weeks from September 8, and Mr Walch said that could be extended for a further two weeks.
He added: "If the trial goes well we will look to extend it further and maybe introduce it as a permanent ticket.
"It will be available on our Stoke-on-Trent routes as Staffordshire County Council haven't cut their subsidy."
The city council first unveiled plans for the controversial cut last year as part of a bid to save £24 million from its annual budget. It came into force on April 2.
On Monday around 60 pensioners are to take part in a day of protest organised by the North Staffordshire Pensioners' Convention.
Members will begin their demonstration in Hanley from around 11.30am before travelling by bus with posters and banners to the Civic Centre in Stoke, where they will hand over a message to the council.
It reads: "Your decision has caused great disillusionment among older and disabled people in the city and has had a major detrimental impact on their lives.
"Free bus travel is a tremendous benefit for older and disabled people.
"The opportunity to get out and about has improved the quality of life of millions of people.
"It is also cost-effective because it improves people's physical and emotional well-being and helps them to cope without needing NHS and social services help.
"Your decision in February was an erosion of that benefit. We urge you to think again."
Comments
by hanleygal
Monday, September 03 2012, 7:15AM
“so what about disabled people? elderly people get reduced fares yet the disabled who work just as hard as anyone else still have to pay full price before half 9?? it costs myself 10 a week to get to wrk one bust one way and its free to get home on my disabled pass, and now ive travel allowing noticed that staffordshire county coucil have extended their conssesionay passes back to 24/7 travel allowing both the disabled and the elderly free fares at any time. S-o-T council are a disgrace.”
by lordship1942
Saturday, September 01 2012, 7:49PM
“I do agree with you jolyteddy.....i was just explaining that because the council stopped free travel before 9.30am ...First buses had not option but to charge for the bus ride(at least , like bakers buses they halved the bus fare)
we pay because the council took £100,000 subsidy of the bus companys.
Im 70 years old and disabled, and i blame the council completely.”
by Jolyteddy
Saturday, September 01 2012, 6:45PM
“Of course it's the council's fault.
However it is very unfair that a disabled person who needs to get to work, before 10am (at the latest, allowing for a travel time), or the pensioner who has to vist a doctor/hospital or attend for weekly early morning (fasting) blood tests should have to pay anything.”
by lordship1942
Saturday, September 01 2012, 5:47PM
“First let me say that it is not the fault of First bus company to take bus routes off, if a bus route runs at a loss the council will subsidise that bus route to keep it running, but the council has in many areas withdrawn the funding, so the bus company cannot afford to run that bus route.
Again you cannot blame First for charging half fare for pensioners who must have an earlier bus before 930am.....they are only charging £1 like bakers bus service do.
The full blame must for this whole fiesco must rest with this brainless stoke on trent council.
It is a fact that out of the whole of staffordshire, stoke on trent is the only council to stop its disabled and pensioners from using the buses before 9.30am, so pensioners are all looking for later appointments at the hospital, doctors etc ...this is causing trouble fitting them all in later.
If the bus pass was taken of pensioners and the disabled altogether , then there would be a massive drop in takings at the shops as pensioners are the majority of shoppers during the day, not just spending £2, but hell of a lot more.
So let me say this to our councillors hang your heads in shame, just look at the mess your making with peoples lives.”
by Jolyteddy
Saturday, September 01 2012, 3:16PM
“If a pensioner has to spend £1 on transport in order to spend only £2 in town, that's a 50% increase in their costs.”
by Jolyteddy
Saturday, September 01 2012, 1:49PM
“So pensioners will want to pay £1 inorder to spend £2 in town ??”
by stokemaveric
Saturday, September 01 2012, 12:53PM
“no woner there is a ''significant drop in passengers'' i was charged £2.00 to travel approx one and a half miles into hanley..rip off..”
by redstar987
Saturday, September 01 2012, 10:58AM
“Pensioners in May Bank will be very grateful for this initiative having just been isolated in their community after the withdrawal of the 17 route through May Bank and Basford Park Road. I wonder if First Bus or the City Council have any thought for the older people in our community or are they just happy to cut services to protect profits for shareholders and to balance budget sheets.
I fully endorse the campaign being run by the North Staffs Pensioners Convention. Older and Disabled people have a right to a decent standard of living and to free travel in any decent caring society. Let's hope that these cuts are reversed and that there is a large scale investment in public transport for all.”