Huge bus price increase set for the New Year
Eighty per cent of bus fares will go up across the city in one of the biggest price hikes in years.
Only a small number of Brighton & Hove Bus Company’s fares have been frozen. Others are increasing by almost 50 per cent.
In addition to the rise in price, there is further frustration for passengers as the annual price hike has been brought forward from the spring.
The new prices are set to come into effect on 16 January next year – just two days after the scrapping of the city’s night buses.
Brighton & Hove Buses Managing Director Martin Harris has blamed the hike on higher costs as a result of an increase in congestion.
Mr Harris said: “Our costs rose significantly during this period because of an increase in congestion in the city which meant we had to run more buses and employ more drivers just to maintain the same level of service. Sadly, it’s meant we’ve had to put up some prices.
“We’ve also brought forward the changes to earlier in the year deliberately in order to reduce the scale of price rises.”
Among the ticket increases are:
- M Ticket smartphone City centrefare rising from £2 to £2.10
- 60 Minute ticket from £2.40 to £2.60
- One Day City Saver from £4.20 to £4.40
Longer term ticket increases are:
- 28 day Network Saver from £77 to £81
- 90 day Network Saver from £205 to £215
- 12 month Network Saver from £635 to £665
Students are being affected again, having just endured fare increases in September. A student 1 day Saver will go from £3 to £4.40 and a 7 day Saver from £13 to £17. Although the bus company has introduced two and three-day saver tickets which the bus company’s managing director says were “specifically for students to help them make more flexible choices.”
Just a handful of fares have been frozen, including the Centrefare at £2.20 and City Saver at £5.
Mr Harris said he had focused on keeping everyone’s fare increase to a minimum and freeze as many as possible.
By Clare Calder
