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UP TO 35p MORE ON BUS FARES
BUS bosses today announced higher fares and a reduced service.
First travellers face a price hike of up to 35p on popular journeys from January 2.
One Calderdale route will disappear from the end of January. And more than 15 others will run on revised timetables or routes.
Nigel Winter, commercial director of First, said the changes were unavoidable.
"There has to be a fare increase," he said. "We want to minimise it for our customers. People will still be getting good value for money. And we are telling people in good time."
Mr Winter blamed rising fuel prices, utility bills and insurance premiums for the fare increases of between 5p and 35p a journey. He said the company had to cover millions of pounds in extra costs.
"We can't pass all these costs on because it would be an astronomical increase. These are as much as we thought people could tolerate," he said.
The new increases come after two fare rises since last April. The last price hike came into force on October 29 for off-peak and weekly tickets.
First workers will also feel the pinch as staffing levels and rostas are reviewed. Mr Winter said: "We are looking at ways of doing things quicker, better and cheaper."
The M62 service, Halifax to Leeds via Brighouse, will be cut on January 29. Mr Winter said after an unsuccessful advertising campaign to increase passenger numbers they were left with no alternative.
Other routes in Calderdale and Kirklees will run less frequently or on different routes. Calderdale councillor Geoffrey Wainwright (Con, Skircoat) slammed the announcement.
Coun Wainwright, who represents Calderdale on West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority, said: "This news is very sad. We are doing our best to get encourage people to use public transport and this is a body blow.
"I am surprised a fare increase has come along so close to the last one." And he criticised the decision to cut services in mid-winter. "It will drive people to their cars," he said.
Neil Walsh, of TJ Walsh buses, said their fares would not rise. "We have to keep a lid on bus fares. The travelling public can't stand them going up and up above inflation. It will drive them off buses and into taxis and cars," he said.
First fares (adult singles) of between 20p and 80p will rise 5p. Fares between 90p and 1.60 will rise 10p. Those between 1.70 and 1.80 will rise 20p.
Those costing more than 1.90 will rise 25p, 1.80 and 1.90 fares will rise10p. Adult returns costing between 2 and 2.20 will rise 20p or 25p (except service 521). Adult returns costing between 2.25 and 4.00 will rise 30p or 35p.
Child singles costing between 25p-80p will rise 5p. Child singles costing between 85p and maximum fare will rise 10p. Child returns costing between 70p and 1.15 will rise 15p. Child returns costing more than 2 will rise 20p.
FirstDay Peak will rise 30p. An increase of 10 per cent on the unlimited travel ticket. FirstDay Off-Peak will rise 30p. FirstDayOut will rise 10p.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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