Boom in cheap bus fare passenger numbers

Adam Hewitt • Published 4 May 2010 09:00 5 Comments

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CARS are sitting empty on driveways as people pile onto buses instead thanks to a hugely successful cheap fares scheme.

Passenger numbers have shot up by 175% on the 27/29 Lower Caversham to central Reading route thanks to the £1 fare introduced in November and now extended to July 10, say bus bosses.

The route is now bringing more money in than it was before the change, despite the lower fares.

Chief executive James Freeman called the growth "staggering" and said: "We are trying to entice even more customers to take the £1 shuttle bus when planning a trip into town.

"There is more marketing to be done, including house drops, notices on buses and the dressing of bus stops with large signs clearly stating the bus fare is £1.

"A number of local shops in the area are also displaying posters advertising this fantastic offer."

It seems like common sense but for months bosses were not convinced that cheaper fares alone were enough to encourage people back onto the buses. Now the question is why the £1 fares apply on only two routes and why many other fares have recently gone up again if cheap routes bring in both more passengers and more money for the bus company.

Mr Freeman said: "It's what we'd like to do everywhere but it's much more difficult to do network-wide and we're still not really making money on these routes, just covering costs. But the whole purpose of this experiment is to understand how it all works and how we might be able to extend cheaper fares onto other routes."

The £1 fares also apply on route 24 from Coley Park to central Reading and passenger numbers have grown by 75% on that route.

Mr Freeman said of the 24: "We are still slightly down on revenue. It's now being extended for a second time, but to make the cheap fare work we need to attract more people to use the bus for their shopping trips from Coley Park into town."

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Alex M
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May 4, 16:27
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Idiots - they've been raising fares for years and wondering why passenger numbers were declining - of course it was because of the extortionate fares you fools!!

The sheer incompetence of Reading Buses is galling.

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Mustafa Chaudhary
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May 5, 20:08
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I totally agree with Alex. Reading Buses have been taking the mickey with their extortionate fares. It won't be long before they start edging the prices up again once they think they've hooked enough passengers. Instead of spending millions on crazy one-way systems, the money should be used to make the buses free. Rush hour traffic would disappear overnight and the unclogged transport system would let our local economy breathe again. But then I guess rush hour benefits Reading Buses!

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SusieQ
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May 5, 20:58
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the chronicle is right to ask why more routes aren't being made £1 if it increases passenger numbers (ie fewer cars, less congestion, less pollution, more people spending money in town centre shops helping the local economy) and increases revenue (helping the bus company provide more routes). But james freeman's answer doesn't really address the point. yes the company cannot make a loss but if cutting fares helps - then do it! might bring back some much needed goodwill.

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Pete
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May 6, 14:38
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Hmmm, so the standard Reading £1.70 single fare is considered extortionate is it? Try living in Bath (smaller than Reading), and £1.70 won't get you far on First's buses. First don't show their single and return fares on any of their websites, but a 'First Ten' giving 10 single journeys in Bath = £20, so £2 per journey.

http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/southwest/bristol/fares/bath/firstten.php

Or compare with Thamesdown Transport in Swindon (also council owned). There the single fare is 1 zone = £1.10 / 2 zones = £1.70

http://www.thamesdown-transport.co.uk/index.asp?m=206&t=Which+Ticket+Is+Best+For+You%3F

Or Brighton & Hove Buses with a flat fare of £1.80 single.

http://www.buses.co.uk/tickets/flatfare.aspx

Or Nottingham City Transport with a flat fare of £1.60 singlernhttp://www.nctx.co.uk/fares/onthebus/index.asp

So Reading Buses fares are comparable with elsewhere as far as I can see.

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Adrian Windisch
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May 10, 22:21
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I have been saying to do this for years, I am so glad they have tried it. As it works, lets roll this out across the town.

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