BUS chiefs have confirmed plans to put up the cost of adult single fares next month, but vowed to freeze the cost of other tickets.
As the News predicted two weeks ago, the cost of a ticket on Lothian Buses will rise from £1 to £1.10, with effect of April 6.
Child fares, daysaver tickets, and Ridacards, however, will all be unaffected.
The council-owned company today blamed
its inflation-busting price hike on increases in tax and fuel costs.
Other factors affecting a near £4 million shortfall faced by Lothian Buses include a Scottish Government freeze on a rebate to transport operators used to cover rises in fuel duty.
Lower than expected levels of compensation to cover the cost of free travel for pensioners are also a factor in the increase.
Passenger groups today described the fare rise as disappointing, but they added that the freeze on the price of Ridacards and daysavers was welcome.
Lothian Buses managing director Ian Craig said: "The £1 single fare has been in place for two years, but increasing costs, particularly of diesel, and the 2p per litre tax increase in October 2007 – coupled with reduced payments for carrying concessionary passengers – means we are forced to increase adult single fares to balance the books."
Lothian Buses last put up adult single prices in March 2006, which saw a 25 per cent rise from 80p to £1.
The 10p rise is likely to earn Lothian Buses around £2.9m.
Gavin Booth, chairman of passenger watchdog Bus Users UK, said: "Any fare rise is disappointing but Lothian Buses appears to have done everything it can to keep the increase to a minimum. It is good that the other tickets such as a daysavers are not affected.
"Obviously moving from a £1 to £1.10 when there is no change on this service will take some getting used to do, but I think people will adjust pretty quickly."
A MORI poll, commissioned by Lothian Buses late last year, found that 84 per cent of Edinburgh residents use buses.
It also found that 76 per cent thought the £1 single fare was value for money.
Bus passengers made a record 114 million trips on Lothian Buses last year – an increase of nearly six million on 2006.
It is the ninth year in a row the company has seen passenger numbers rise and the figures mean an average of 312,000 people a day are now using Lothian services.
Pilmar Smith, chairman of Lothian Buses, said: "Our Ridacard and DayTicket prices are being frozen so regular passengers will not be affected, and neither will children as the 60p child fare is not changing either."
•
www.lothianbuses.co.uk