For years people were used to traditional annual fares increases on the buses.
But it’s now three years since the £1.70 single fare was set for journeys within Reading.
And since that time Reading Buses has decreased the price to £1 of many short distance trips such as the Bronze 11 to Coley Park and the 27/29 services to Lower Caversham.
But on the down side, Reading Buses has been experiencing inexorable rises in fuel prices as well as other raw material costs, while during that time there have been significant reductions in revenue from the concessionary travel schemes.
The result, reluctantly decided by Reading Buses, is that there will be a general fares revision on all Reading Buses services from Sunday 9 October.
By no means every fare will rise – The popular £1 To Town fares will all stay the same. And for people who make a return trip, there will be no increase at all, because Reading Buses is reintroducing the return ticket, priced at £3.40 – exactly twice today’s single fare. So people who make a return journey on the same day will be able to take advantage of the new return ticket.
“That means they won’t have to pay any increase at all,” said Nikki Honer, Reading Transport’s Communications Manager.
The standard single fare in Reading rises from £1.70 to £1.80 while the day ticket for those who make more than two journeys in any one day will increase from £3.80 to £4.00.
Weekly tickets rise by £1 from £13 to £14, but Nikki Honer announced that the cost of longer-term tickets such as 30 days and 90 days will offer savings for those who want to buy in advance. The 30 day ticket goes up slightly from £52 to £55 but is now cheaper than buying 4 seperate weekly tickets. Even better news is that the 90 day ticket is reduced to £150 from £154. New for this year, said Nikki, is a 365 day annual ticket valid across the whole simplyReading urban network, costing £500.
Child fares will increase in parallel from £1.20 to £1.30 for a standard journey and there are also increases on Jet Black and Vitality services.
“All £1 fares will stay unchanged,” said Nikki. “Special bargain fares such as on the no.9 and the Caversham + Hospital Day Ticket at £3 available on pink routes 22, 23 and 24 will not increase either.”
Said Nikki: “For three years we managed to maintain the £1.70 standard fare and indeed over the last two years, we have introduced a growing range of £1 fares on shorter stretches of routes within the network including the Orange routes within Woodley. All the £1 fares introduced this summer will be continuing.
“But after three years a price increase has become inevitable and we have worked very hard to keep this to a minimum.
“And the re-launch of the day return fare will mean no increase at all for many people.” she added.
Great Knollys Street, Reading RG1 7HH