Published: Thursday, 18th March, 2010 11:00am

New bus fares, tickets and zones announced

by Adam Hewitt

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A SHAKE-UP of bus fares and zones will be great news for some passengers - but leave others worse off.

The old system of north, east, south and west Reading zones is being replaced from Tuesday, April 6 by a standard 'Reading' zone, alongside a 'Newbury' zone and a 'network' zone, covering both areas and every bus that Reading Transport runs. Tickets will be marketed under a new brand, simplyBus.

Single fares and child weekly fares are staying the same price but the simplyReading adult weekly ticket will cost £13 - meaning travel for those going long distances will be cheaper, but those who previously commuted within one of the zones face a fare hike.

Celia Lovegrove said: "I travel from Lower Earley into Reading every day for work. At present my weekly ticket costs £11. The new all Reading ticket will cost me £13, giving me the facility to travel all over Reading, which I do not need and will not use. The alternative is to buy single tickets at £1.70 per journey, costing £17. This means that by buying the new weekly ticket, the cheapest option available to me from April 6, my weekly fare goes up by nearly 25% - how on earth can this possibly be justified!"

The all-day fares in Reading, now known as simplyReading day tickets, are also going up, to £3.80 from £3.50 for the equivalent 'Busabout' fare now. The Easysaver 10 tickets, only available on smartcards, will stay at £15 meaning £1.50 a journey.

The seven day simplyBus smartcard will cost £10 as an introductory offer, a £3 saving - but only until Monday April 19 and only in advance.

The simplyNetwork weekly ticket is £19.50, down from £30 for the equivalent ticket now.

Marketing manager Nikki Honer said: "We are pleased to announce that there are many other savings in the simplyNetwork range, including 30 day prices slashed by £27 and 90 day prices by a massive £69.

"All the zonal tickets as well as Busabout day tickets are disappearing under the new simplified structure. Customers will no longer have to worry about travelling into the next zone and paying more. New web pages have been built to go with the simplyBus range, together with new products leaflets."

The changes have met with mixed reviews on the online Reading Forum. User Riverside said: "Particular winners are those on the Vitality 1 between Newbury and Theale as their season ticket fares seem to have been cut quite considerably. The losers appear to be those who buy weekly tickets and had a fare increase only last June - the majority of commuters, which after many service cuts since then won't be happy."

Visit: www.simplybus.co.uk

Reading zone prices

Single - £1.70

Day - £3.80

Day, group of four adults/children - £7

7 Day - £13

30 Day - £52

90 Day - £154

Child single - £1.20

Child day - £2

Child 7 Day - £10

Child 30 Day - £37.50

Child 90 Day - £105