First Bristol/First Somerset and Avon consults on proposed bus network changes

First Bristol/First Somerset and Avon have launched a major consultation on proposed changes to the companies’ bus services in South Gloucestershire (excluding Filton, Patchway and Thornbury) – the full details are available on the companies’ website ‘www.firstgroup.com/haveyoursay/bristol’ and the deadline for responses is Sunday 25 May.

Simpler rail ticket pricing?

The Secretary of State for Transport, Ruth Kelly, has asked Passenger Focus to undertake research into whether train operators plans for simpler pricing and the introduction of a ‘Price Promise’ to sell the cheapest available ticket will address the current concerns of rail passengers about the complexity of rail fares and the perception that operators ‘hide’ their cheapest deals.

The research, to be completed by the end of July, will investigate whether the forthcoming rationalisation of rail tickets into three products (Advance, Anytime and Off-peak) meets passenger requirements. Passenger Focus will also investigate whether passengers want ‘single leg’ ticketing to replace return fares and whether customers are satisfied with the new ticketing technology and information sources.

Passenger Focus has also been asked to study whether it is possible to make meaningful comparisons between rail fares in Britain and the rest of Europe.

Poor bus punctuality in the South West

Recent research undertaken for the Department for Transport has found that one in six of all bus journeys in the South West of England fail to start on time – the research also revealed that twenty-six per cent of buses were running outside the ‘permitted parameters’ at intermediate timing points and that thirty-eight per cent of buses were operating outside the ‘permitted parameters’ after an elapsed journey time of over sixty minutes. (The ‘permitted parameter’ is less than one minute early or less than six minutes late)

Plymouth Citybus doubles profits

Plymouth Citybus has announced that the company saw profits more than double for the year ended 31 March 2007 – the company’s profits grew from 675k to 1833k, as revenue increased by 6.6 per cent and operating costs fell by 0.3 per cent. The average age of the company’s fleet remains high at 9.7 years – the company’s nineteen double-deckers have an average age of 18.4 years.

Change of name for Railcards

The Association of Train Operating Companies has announced that from Sunday 18 May the Young Persons Railcard will be renamed the ’16-25’ Railcard, while the Family Railcard will become the ‘Family and Friends’ Railcard.

And finally,

A disabled lady who travels regularly by rail between Weston-super-Mare and Yatton claims that she has been told by First Great Western that she cannot use the company’s trains in future due to the combined weight of her (fifteen stones) and her wheelchair!