Fears fare rise will keep people off the buses

Anne Byrne from the "Express and Echo" was at last week's Exeter HATOC and this week's issue carries and article about my question over fare rises on the P&R services.

26 April 2012

PARK and ride fares in Exeter have risen by 22.5 per cent according to a city councillor who fears increases will put people off using the service.

Cowick city councillor Paul Bull brought the matter up at the Exeter and Devon joint highways committee (Exeter HATOC) as the cost of a park and ride flexi ticket rose from £10 to £12.25.

Cllr Bull said: "In the various transport strategies for development in the areas surrounding Exeter, there is an identified need for a step-change in the use of public transport.

"It will be a real challenge when trying to move commuters away from their cars onto public transport when we are faced with retrograde steps such as this price hike.

"We need to be doing all we can to remove traffic from some of our most congested commuter routes, to improve the effects of air pollution – yet all this measure will do will be to drive traffic to city centre car parks."

A Stagecoach South West spokeswoman said: "The bus industry is currently facing a perfect storm of rising costs: with a cut of 20 per cent in the tax relief on fuel duty, increased costs for fuel, utilities and wages and a cut in local authority concessionary reimbursement.

"Our park and ride services are entirely dependent on passenger revenue for their operation and fares have not changed since January, 2010.

"However, the simple truth is unless fares are now increased the revenue generated would no longer support the operational costs we incur.

"Without the increase, services levels would have to be reviewed."