Fares on First Group buses are changing from this Sunday (3rd November) and a roadshow will visit Bradley Stoke on Friday (1st November) to explain the new ticket pricing regime.
The First team will be handing out information and providing advice to bus users at the Willow Brook Centre between 12noon and 8pm.
Following three months of public consultation, which saw more than 7,500 questionnaires returned, First is making radical changes to its fare structure that will bring cheaper fares for short journeys and, for the first time, discounts for young people (aged 16-21).
Bradley Stoke, along with Aztec West and Cribbs Causeway, will lie within a new ‘inner zone’ that extends six miles from the city centre.
First claims that the changes will result in 90% of its customers across the Bristol area paying an average 27% less for single fares.
Customers wanting more information about what is happening, and why, are also able to log onto a specially created website, www.fairerfares.co.uk. They can also tweet @FirstBSA to ask questions regarding the changes using the hashtag #fairerfares and the company will endeavour to reply to them directly.
Talking about the series of roadshow events being held across Bristol, Sarah Wallbridge, Senior Marketing Manager for First in the West of England said:
“We have deliberately picked busy locations, and mostly shopping centres, for these events so that we can talk to as many people as possible, ensuring that they know what is happening and why. In many cases the same locations were used when we were running our fare consultation events, so in returning to them we are bringing things full circle and are doing what we can to show those people who took part in the consultation what has happened as a result of their feedback.”
“We hope that people – whether they are existing bus users or not – will come along to these events to find out more about the changes that are being made.”
The November edition of the Bradley Stoke Journal magazine (out this weekend) will also contain more information about the changes being introduced.
Related link: First’s new fare zones in Bristol [PDF]
@Ed – perhaps you have just cut and pasted a press release from First and not looked in any great detail at the impact of these changes on fares for those living in Bradley Stoke?
While Bradley Stoke may be in the new six mile inner zone, due to the route the 73 takes to gets to the Centre it actually travels over six miles. Therefore a single ticket presently costing £3.30 will actually be increasing under First’s “Fairer Fares for Bristol” to £3.50. I had hoped it would be falling to £2.50 (the 3 – 6 mile fare). I appreciate that buying single fares may not be the most common but some of us do this. How First can justify only a 50p difference between a single fare and an all you can ride ticket (FirstDay) amazes me.
I noticed that too! I think First should produce a fare calculation app so you can see what actual fares will be, surely they can do that.
Also I can’t see why Filton college to Bedminster is only £2.50, that must be the same distance as B’ Stoke to the centre?
On the positive, the First Week ticket is dropping from £18.50 to £17, so not all bad.
Well won’t be using buses from now if it’s going to cost an average family of 2 adults and 2 children around £15 to take a trip from Bradley Stoke to Cribbs Causeway and back again. Much sooner be gridlocked in a car now and again and save about £12.
@Phil Holes: According to the First website, there’s an £8 family day ticket that allows unlimited travel within the new ‘inner zone’, which includes Bradley Stoke and Cribbs Causeway.
http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/fairerfares/fares—zones.html#newdayandseasontickets
Can’t wait for new buses in 2017 with leather upholstery and free wifi… Oh nearly forgot and the potential hearty increase in fares to offset the service. What might be better is a proper tram service, I wonder if anyone has thought of that yet? Cheaper option however would be to open up the Bradley Stoke roundabouts to 2 lanes to ease congestion or am I being plain daft. Ops, time to stop as I forgot the improved bus transport system is all about making money and nothing to do with common sense (sorry, must keep my cynical thoughts to myself however i have been good recently so perhaps it’s time to get out and about. Hmmm… Where’s my crock of gold as I will need to convert this into cash for the increase in fares for bus tickets). P.S. I like the new wood planters installed for Bradley Stoke in Bloom it makes living here such a pleasure.
£8 is still outrageous that’s 8 useful things from the Pound Shop (but thanks for pointing this out ED)
Thanks to Phil Holes for cheering me right up, great piece of very funny writing, I have been good recently – love it!!!! Still laughing as I write 😉
I facebooked firstbus tonight to ask how much for a ticket from Baileys Court Inn to Sainsbury (going into town it stops on the main road just before the roundabout). Apparently its over 3 miles and therefore its £2.50.
I have tried and tried on Google maps but just cannot get it to 3 miles. I made sure it was going along Orpheus Avenue following the bus route except going into Parkway, and just can’t make it 3 miles.
Did think OK they were right as one measurement said 3.3, then realised that was kilometres, not miles (which works out at just over 2 miles). Has anyone’s bus fare reduced at all.
Just heard from First Bus. Apparently the pricing is nothing to do with how many miles between the stops we get on and get off at!!! Its to do with the fare stage – which is Manor Farm to Sainsbury’s. Never mind that we get the bus at Baileys Court Inn!!!!
I feel another petition comiing on!!! Who did the last one!!!
@K: http://www.bristolbususers.co.uk/