Bus users face fares hike and service cuts
Bryan Copland • Published 16 Feb 2012 09:27
16 Comments
BUS fares will increase and county services will be reduced this spring due to a Scottish Government funding cut, operator First has confirmed.
The company, which runs buses to every county town as well as on a number of rural routes, is carrying out a "comprehensive review" of its services due to a 20 per cent cut to the Bus Service Operators' Grant (BSOG).
The cut, which comes into force on April 1, has been branded "bad news" by a local MSP.
Paul Thomas, managing director for First Scotland East Limited, said: "As a result of the cut in funding, First Scotland East Ltd is undertaking a comprehensive review of bus services throughout south-east and central Scotland.
"It is inevitable that the reduction in funding will lead to increased fares and service reductions. However, at this time, no changes have been decided for Edinburgh and the Lothians. Once our plans are finalised we will share them with our customers and stakeholders as soon as possible.
"We will try where possible to minimise the impact on our customers but the significant cuts are a considerable blow."
Jim Hume, Lib Dem MSP for South of Scotland and spokesman for transport, said: "The 20 per cent cut to the Bus Service Operators' Grant is ultimately bad news for people reliant upon bus travel in East Lothian. Already it has resulted in fares in Aberdeen rising on average 8.5 per cent.
"The SNP are telling people to use public transport on the one hand and are then cutting transport funding on the other. It doesn't stack up.
"People are already struggling to keep pace with the rise in the cost of living and this latest news of increasing bus fares will hit the pockets of those hardest pressed."
The BSOG, administered by Transport Scotland, is paid to bus operators to enable them to run services which might not otherwise be commercially viable and keep fares down.
Individual operators are responsible for setting fare prices.
An East Lothian Council spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the changes affecting bus operators but no changes to services or fares in East Lothian have been confirmed by First yet.
"If a bus operator is to change services/fares then they are required to give a two-week consultation period with the local authority which is then followed by a 56-day consultation period with the traffic commissioner - so there are 70 days from first notification of any changes before they are implemented which allows the council to consider what measure it may bring into place."
Speaking ahead of a parliamentary debate on the issue in January, Keith Brown - Scottish Government transport minister - had said: "Despite the challenges of real-terms Westminster cuts, bus funding for concessionary travel and grants such as BSOG have been maintained over the spending review period at just under quarter of a billion pounds (£248.5 million).
"When BSOG payment calculations change in April 2012, we will be in a better position to encourage fuel efficiency and redistribute benefits, principally to rural areas.
"We would expect the bus industry in Scotland to act responsibly whenever they are looking to set bus fares."
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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Socialist
Unregistered User
Feb 16, 11:37
Report commentIt’s about time that someone got this sorted out, if you live out with the main three towns in the west unless there is a suitable train service more and more people are being marooned in their towns and villages, dependence on the car will continue unless something serious is done.
Re-Regulate the Bus Companies Now
Can I suggest that in the run up to the council elections, we ask all candidates if they are in favour of re-regulating the bus service.
Recommend?
Yes 5
No 3
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On the Buses
Unregistered User
Feb 16, 15:54
Report commentFIRST have been doing this for years, Increasing Fares and cutting services west of tranent for years. Remember the 30 odd% rise in Dunbar fares last year.
Re regulation wouldn't help.
And with FIRST failing to buy any new buses this Century, what hope will we see of any new buses?
More 2nd hand buses can be seen on most of East Lothians routes, even the 2nd hand buses are all 10+ years old.
Recommend? Yes 5
No 0
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On the Buses
Unregistered User
Feb 16, 16:36
Report commentgood one SNP and how much are they spending on the new Forth Road bridge?
Yip so much for encouraging people to use Public Transport
Would they not be better reducing the FREE travel for OAPS to off peak times and reducing the travel areas.
Not much point in having FREE travel with NO bus service.
Recommend? Yes 2
No 2
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On the Buses
Unregistered User
Feb 16, 16:40
Report commentand if services are cut, less people use the bus, a vicious circle is created
and with Bus companies not getting 100% of the OAPs fare, a vicious circle is created
People will just resort to using their cars.
So much for the SNPs Green and environmentally friendly Scotland.
Recommend? Yes 2
No 2
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On the Buses
Unregistered User
Feb 16, 16:46
Report commentKeith Brown - Scottish Government transport minister - .........When BSOG payment calculations change in April 2012, we will be in a better position to encourage fuel efficiency and redistribute benefits, principally to rural areas. "
Funny Lothian Buses have invested annually in new and fuel efficient buses for years (unlike FIRST) and there is indications that they will be increasing fare and cutting services.
Which could result in a cut in new fuel efficient buses being bought......meaning we could see older buses fuel burning buses left on the road (aka FIRST)
Recommend? Yes 2
No 0
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Socialist
Unregistered User
Feb 17, 11:31
Report commentHave I missed something but is East Lothian not a rural area.
Recommend? Yes 0
No 2
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On the Buses
Unregistered User
Feb 17, 11:32
Report comment -
first bus customer
Unregistered User
Feb 17, 21:57
Report commentThe fares from Tranent/Macmerry are ridiculous £ 3.20 one way. This is putting extra financial pressure on hardworking people who are already struggling to pay bills etc in some cases people are having to work an hour a day for nothing as this first hour only covers their bus fares to and from work. Yes East lothian is rural but why should we pay more than people going to Edinburgh for work, i wouldnt mind if the buses were on time and not 15 minutes late most days whether you go for the bus at 8.23am or 9.25am and dont get me started on how rude/miserable the drivers are .I have been travelling to Haddington for a great many years. The last time we had a rise in fares just over a year or more ago the fares went from £ 2.50 to £3.20. And just to add not everyone can afford to run a car in the current financial climate.
Recommend? Yes 3
No 0
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Sealion
Unregistered User
Feb 18, 08:40
Report commentFirst Bus have only themself to blame,when you contact them with regards there services they do not listen and do not want to know,take for example there service from Edinburgh to Berwick-Upon-Tweed which they withdrew last year,after trying to run Perrymans of Berwick of the route, who gave and still give a excellent service to the people of East Lothian & Berwickshire,there coaches and there drivers are first
class,they are clean and comfortable and there drivers helpful to there passengers.
Perrymans who are a small coach company based in Berwick,compared to First Bus who are based all over Scotland,put there passengers first and foremost when it comes
to delivering a bus service to the local population they serve,that is why the people
used Perrymans and boycotted First Bus when it came to giving a service.
So First Bus should take note that is why you failed on the Edinburgh to Berwick route.
You should listen and take note to what your passengers have to say about routes,
services,and the state of your coaches,that is the only way you are going to get passengers to use your coaches on regular basis.
Recommend? Yes 16
No 0
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x FIRST bus user
Unregistered User
Feb 18, 19:14
Report commentfirst bus customer
supply and demand (and FIRSTs monopoly) is part of it , FIRST must take a fair share of the blame of why people are NOT using there services less, 15+ year Old Buses, Huge Fares Increases and total lack of investment in New buses (you just need to look at the Welsh coaches and ex double deck buses from down south that are running about East Lothian just now).
But East Lothian: east/south east of Tranent is Rural, which means long stretches of unpopulated road.... tranent to haddington (8mls) , haddington to dunbar (12 mls), were few passengers get picked up due to population, compare that from Tranent to Edinburgh.
And the A1 has increased the use of the car
Recommend? Yes 1
No 0
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x FIRST bus user
Unregistered User
Feb 18, 20:26
Report commentapologies typo in the above comment
first bus customer
supply and demand (and FIRSTs monopoly) is part of it , FIRST must take a fair share of the blame of why people are using there services less:
15+ year
Old Buses,
Huge Fares Increases and
Total lack of investment in New buses (you just need to look at the Welsh coaches and ex double deck buses from down south that are running about East Lothian just now).
But East Lothian: east/south east of Tranent is Rural, which means long stretches of unpopulated road:....
tranent to haddington (8mls)
haddington to dunbar (12 mls),
were few passengers get picked up due to population, compare that from Tranent to Edinburgh.
And the A1 has increased the use of the car
Recommend? Yes 0
No 0
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x FIRST bus user
Unregistered User
Feb 19, 16:29
Report commenttake 3
first bus customer
supply and demand (and FIRSTs monopoly) is part of it , FIRST must take a fair share of the blame of why people are using there services less:
15+ year Old Buses,
Huge Fares Increases
Total lack of investment in New buses (you just need to look at the Welsh coaches and ex double deck buses from down south that are running about East Lothian just now).
But East Lothian: east/south east of Tranent is Rural, which means long stretches of unpopulated road:....
tranent to haddington (8mls)
haddington to dunbar (12 mls),
were few passengers get picked up due to population, compare that from Tranent to Edinburgh.
And the A1 has increased the use of the car
Recommend? Yes 0
No 0
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Random road user....
Unregistered User
Feb 21, 12:33
Report commentYou should try driving these prices of junk for a living maybe then your opinions will change slightly .. And speaking of change why not take you complaints to head offices in Livingston and larbert and stop berrating the poor drivers for cuts and fares.yes they maybe the face of the company but they don't make the decisions.
Recommend? Yes 1
No 1
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Inspector Blakey
Unregistered User
Feb 21, 18:42
Report commentRandom road user
most of the comments are directed at the company
ever written to FIRST at Larbert, I have, and the responses were pretty poor
were has the lated 'P' registered bus came from?
Recommend? Yes 2
No 0
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Inspector Blakey
Unregistered User
Feb 21, 19:05
Report commentjunk are they not 'cascaded' buses from other FIRST comapanies
Recommend? Yes 1
No 0
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Alistair
Unregistered User
Mar 10, 17:24
Report commentFirst bus needs to be investigated pure and simple, the fares are absolutely ridiculous a journey which takes 5 minutes costs £2.60 single. My wife use to pay £70+ a month for this 2 mile journey. Whats the point ? we bought a small car instead, the buses are so run down and regulary break down no wonder theyre empty. How is it Lothian buses can have newer, cleaner and alot lower fares of £1.30per journey.
Recommend? Yes 2
No 0
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