First bus fares change from 27th March 2016

[nohands]

The changes seem to make the season tickets less attractive compared to singles. Rounding the fares should speed up boarding. Of course there is a limit to how much they charge at the moment as their tickets need to be cheaper than the Citybus tickets.

[Andy C]

THE PRESS RELEASE

 

First Bus in South Yorkshire has today announced changes to fares which will help make travelling by bus simpler and faster.

 

From Sunday March 27 most customers will see their fare either held or reduced as part of an annual fares review. The popular range of child and FirstDay tickets will remain unchanged and still significantly cheaper than previously for example the FirstDay in Sheffield remains at only £3.90 compared to £4.60 in 2012.

 

The prices of the FirstWeek Doncaster (£14) and the FirstWeek Rotherham (£14) will be held with a small 50p increase on the FirstWeek Sheffield to £13. These tickets also remain much cheaper than previously compared to £18.50 in 2012. Despite increases to the First4Week tickets, Doncaster £48.50 to £50, Rotherham £48.50 to £50 and Sheffield £41 to £43, these saver tickets remain cheaper than in 2012 at £65.90.

 

Across South Yorkshire some single fares will be changed to simplify travel and make payment more convenient for customers by reducing the need for change. Many single fares will be held including the popular £1 and £1.50 fares and some will be reduced for example the £1.20 to £1 with some increases such as the £1.40 to £1.50. Customers can continue to take advantage of mobile ticketing and make travel even more convenient by pre-purchasing tickets via the First Bus App, including our 10 Journey Ticket introduced earlier this year, priced at £18.

 

First South Yorkshire explained that some rises were necessary to meet increasing costs of operation and to provide a solid business platform to drive further service improvement for customers in 2016. In the last 2 years First has invested over £10m in new buses across South Yorkshire as well as investing in initiatives such as mobile ticketing to improve service quality for customers together with training & development for staff. Plans are now also in place to introduce further new buses into South Yorkshire later this year.

 

Kevin Belfield, managing director of First in South Yorkshire said: “Our customers have told us how important reliability is to their journey and this price review has helped us introduce the latest measure to reduce the time the bus spends at the bus stop and improve convenience for customers.

 

"As part of this annual review, I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to reduce and hold the prices of most fares so the majority of our customers will benefit by paying exactly the same or less for bus travel."

 

"In some cases we've increased fares to reflect the fact many costs associated with operating buses are increasing and therefore we need to review our fares from time-to-time to take account of this and ensure we can continue to invest in improving services for our customers in future. These price changes will help support the extensive 7-day network of services offered across Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster many of which are largely dependent upon fares from customers to cover their operating costs.

 

"I appreciate nobody likes it when prices go up but we have worked hard to keep any increases to a minimum. The cost of travel on a First bus still represents excellent value-for-money, and customers can continue to enjoy unlimited travel across the network for less than £1.80* per day.

 

"Our aim in 2016 is to continue to give value-for-money to our customers and to build upon the customer growth we have delivered over the last two years working together in partnership."

 

*Based on a First4Week ticket at £50 across 7 days

 

---------- Post added 20-03-2016 at 16:57 ----------

 

Fuel prices go down, fares go up, how does that work?

 

Believe it or not fuel is not the biggest cost of a bus operator - they spend more on staff - and that isn't just bus drivers, it is engineers, cleaners, controllers and various office based personnel - all who expect an annual pay rise of some sort. Most of First's ticket prices are still lower than in 2010.

 

---------- Post added 20-03-2016 at 17:11 ----------

 

The changes seem to make the season tickets less attractive compared to singles. Rounding the fares should speed up boarding. Of course there is a limit to how much they charge at the moment as their tickets need to be cheaper than the Citybus tickets.

 

to some degree. Using my experience of First fares in Sheffield

- very short local journeys - £1 no change

- a short journey such as City to Neepsend - £1.50 no change

- a medium length journey such as City to Woodseats - increases from £1.80 to £2.00

- Outer suburbs to City on normal priced route - increases from £2.30 to £2.50

- Outer suburbs to City on promotional route like 52 or 120 - increases from £1.80 to £2.00

 

A weekly ticket at £13 works out at £1.86 per day if you use it all 7 days, if you just use it for 5 days a week then it works out £2.60 per day. So in all the examples above except the £1 single the weekly does offer a worthwhile saving.

 

A 28day ticket at £43 is £10.75 per week, offering a further saving.

 

So I think the season options are still attractive - although of course the premium for the convenience of all operators becomes smaller and more attractive too...

 

As for the 10 trip carnet option, that reduces your single fare to £1.80 per ride (£3.60 for a return trip) so could become attractive for those making longer journeys that don't travel every day.

Edited March 20, 2016 by Andy C

[woodmally]

THE PRESS RELEASE

 

First Bus in South Yorkshire has today announced changes to fares which will help make travelling by bus simpler and faster.

 

From Sunday March 27 most customers will see their fare either held or reduced as part of an annual fares review. The popular range of child and FirstDay tickets will remain unchanged and still significantly cheaper than previously for example the FirstDay in Sheffield remains at only £3.90 compared to £4.60 in 2012.

 

The prices of the FirstWeek Doncaster (£14) and the FirstWeek Rotherham (£14) will be held with a small 50p increase on the FirstWeek Sheffield to £13. These tickets also remain much cheaper than previously compared to £18.50 in 2012. Despite increases to the First4Week tickets, Doncaster £48.50 to £50, Rotherham £48.50 to £50 and Sheffield £41 to £43, these saver tickets remain cheaper than in 2012 at £65.90.

 

Across South Yorkshire some single fares will be changed to simplify travel and make payment more convenient for customers by reducing the need for change. Many single fares will be held including the popular £1 and £1.50 fares and some will be reduced for example the £1.20 to £1 with some increases such as the £1.40 to £1.50. Customers can continue to take advantage of mobile ticketing and make travel even more convenient by pre-purchasing tickets via the First Bus App, including our 10 Journey Ticket introduced earlier this year, priced at £18.

 

First South Yorkshire explained that some rises were necessary to meet increasing costs of operation and to provide a solid business platform to drive further service improvement for customers in 2016. In the last 2 years First has invested over £10m in new buses across South Yorkshire as well as investing in initiatives such as mobile ticketing to improve service quality for customers together with training & development for staff. Plans are now also in place to introduce further new buses into South Yorkshire later this year.

 

Kevin Belfield, managing director of First in South Yorkshire said: “Our customers have told us how important reliability is to their journey and this price review has helped us introduce the latest measure to reduce the time the bus spends at the bus stop and improve convenience for customers.

 

"As part of this annual review, I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to reduce and hold the prices of most fares so the majority of our customers will benefit by paying exactly the same or less for bus travel."

 

"In some cases we've increased fares to reflect the fact many costs associated with operating buses are increasing and therefore we need to review our fares from time-to-time to take account of this and ensure we can continue to invest in improving services for our customers in future. These price changes will help support the extensive 7-day network of services offered across Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster many of which are largely dependent upon fares from customers to cover their operating costs.

 

"I appreciate nobody likes it when prices go up but we have worked hard to keep any increases to a minimum. The cost of travel on a First bus still represents excellent value-for-money, and customers can continue to enjoy unlimited travel across the network for less than £1.80* per day.

 

"Our aim in 2016 is to continue to give value-for-money to our customers and to build upon the customer growth we have delivered over the last two years working together in partnership."

 

*Based on a First4Week ticket at £50 across 7 days

 

---------- Post added 20-03-2016 at 16:57 ----------

 

 

Believe it or not fuel is not the biggest cost of a bus operator - they spend more on staff - and that isn't just bus drivers, it is engineers, cleaners, controllers and various office based personnel - all who expect an annual pay rise of some sort. Most of First's ticket prices are still lower than in 2010.

 

---------- Post added 20-03-2016 at 17:11 ----------

 

 

to some degree. Using my experience of First fares in Sheffield

- very short local journeys - £1 no change

- a short journey such as City to Neepsend - £1.50 no change

- a medium length journey such as City to Woodseats - increases from £1.80 to £2.00

- Outer suburbs to City on normal priced route - increases from £2.30 to £2.50

- Outer suburbs to City on promotional route like 52 or 120 - increases from £1.80 to £2.00

 

A weekly ticket at £13 works out at £1.86 per day if you use it all 7 days, if you just use it for 5 days a week then it works out £2.60 per day. So in all the examples above except the £1 single the weekly does offer a worthwhile saving.

 

A 28day ticket at £43 is £10.75 per week, offering a further saving.

 

So I think the season options are still attractive - although of course the premium for the convenience of all operators becomes smaller and more attractive too...

 

As for the 10 trip carnet option, that reduces your single fare to £1.80 per ride (£3.60 for a return trip) so could become attractive for those making longer journeys that don't travel every day.

 

How can tinkering with the price structure help reliability? If they haddent messed with the time table in the first place it wouldn't be a problem.

[Funky_Gibbon]

Reading the full press release, FSY are to introduce more NEW buses into the network - they cost LOTS of money and they have to be paid for somehow.

 

Hopefully these ones, if double deckers, will have stairs that aren't death traps for anyone trying to go down them.

[Guest busdriver1]

Hopefully these ones, if double deckers, will have stairs that aren't death traps for anyone trying to go down them.

 

All new deckers will have stairs coated in cotton wool.

[vincentb]

How can tinkering with the price structure help reliability?

 

There's less time at the bus-stops sorting out bits of change, so the driver can get moving again more quickly.

[Andy C]

First's new fares apply from this coming Sunday.

 

Stagecoach Supertram have now announced their fares changes

From Sunday 3rd April

 

£1.60 short distance single - unchanged

£3.00 short distance return - unchanged

£2.20 long distance single - increased to £2.30

Supertramlink bus inclusive single fares - unchanged

 

Dayrider tickets - no changes; £3.90 tram only, £4 tram+bus, £9 family.

 

Weekly Megarider tickets

Tram Only - increase from £12.50 to £13.00

Tram+bus - remaining frozen in price at £13.50

 

4 week and longer Megarider tickets

Tram Only 28 day Megarider sold online - remains frozen in price at £42

Tram + Bus 28 day Megarider sold online - remains frozen in price at £46

Monthly Tram + Bus scratchcard Megarider - increase from £48 to £50

 

The Xtra, 13 week and 52 week versions sold online also unchanged.

 

Also no price changes to Day Explorer, Megarider Plus or Megarider Gold.

 

No price changes to Park & Ride.

 

No price changes to Citywide, South Yorkshire Connect or Travelmaster.

 

No price change to Railmaster

 

No price change to child tickets.

 

http://www.supertram.com/latestfromsupertram_8254.html

Edited March 25, 2016 by Andy C

[trainwalker]

Note - there are no changes to Citybus and Citywide tickets valid on all operators.

 

These are :

Citybus (any bus in Sheffield) day £4, week £14, 28day £49

Citywide (any bus and tram in Sheffield) day £4.30, week £15, 28 day £53

Details of these tickets and others in the Travelmaster range, visit http://www.sytravelmaster.com

 

---------------------------------------------

 

First Week Sheffield - increased from £12.50 to £13.00

 

Single fares simplified - rounded to nearest 50p

£1.00 - no change

£1.20 - reduced to £1

£1.40 - increased to £1.50

£1.50 - no change

£1.80 - increased to £2

£2.30 - increased to £2.50

£2.70 - reduced to £2.50

£3.00 - no change

£3.20 - reduced to £3

£3.50 - no change

First Day tickets frozen in price

First Day Sheffield £3.90

First Day South Yorkshire £5.00

 

new 10 trip carnet £18 - no price change

 

First 4 Week

Sheffield - increased from £41 to £43

 

More info http://www.firstgroup.com/south-yorkshire/news-and-service-updates

 

 

So the current £2:40 fare isn't actually mentioned. So does this mean it is exempt from the increase?. Then after deliberation I realised of course it will go up it's just that first couldn't be bothered to list all the fares that are increasing.

[Sheffield_.]

what first have reduced fares bye they have increased the other fares bye the same amount

[Spray Dogs]

Thats business for ya make it look like your getting a better deal when they take more of you.