Stagecoach West has confirmed changes to bus fares and ticket types from Sunday 20th March.
These are the first increases to local bus fares made by Stagecoach West for nearly two years and reflect the rising costs of running services. S
Since 2019, costs across the bus industry have risen by around 12 percent, mainly driven by fuel and staff wage increases. Fares increases are below the annual rate of inflation (RPI) of 7.5 percent and will go towards the day-to-day running of services, as well as investing in improvements.
The changes include a simplification of the tickets offered across the West designed to make it easier for passengers to find the best value travel.
The transport company will introduce a new day ticket bundle, Flexi 5. The ticket will save passengers 20 percent on a DayRider, offering five days of travel for the price of four.
The Gold Day and MegaRider tickets will now cover the entire Stagecoach West network, offering unlimited travel across Swindon, Wiltshire, Bristol, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire to make it easier for passengers to travel between towns.
Elsewhere, less-used tickets such as 13-week, annual, and dedicated DayRider tickets will be withdrawn.
For full details of the changes, please visit the Stagecoach West website.
Rachel Geliamassi, Managing Director for Stagecoach West, said: “Stagecoach has consistently delivered some of the lowest ticket prices in the country and we are committed to continuing to keep fares as low as possible for our passengers.
“Like many sectors of the economy, bus operators are seeing significant cost inflation, primarily driven by increased fuel and staffing costs. At the same time, the money bus operators receive in fares to keep services running remains significantly below pre-pandemic levels.
“The changes we are making follows freeze of fares for nearly two years and are below the annual rise in inflation.
“As well as paying for the day to day running of the country’s vital bus networks, ticket costs help us to continue investing in improvements for our passengers and pay for bus workers who have worked hard to keep communities connected and services running during the pandemic.”
For more information about ticketing and fares, visit https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/west/fare-changes.
