This week, Stagecoach has confirmed that bus fairs in the North of Scotland are to rise by an average of 2.5% from April 5 reflecting increasing costs, cuts in the public sector and investment in new buses.
The fare hike was announced following an annual review, which found that staff costs are also rising as a result of growth in the economy. Stagecoach currently has the lowest fares of any operator in the UK, but this could be set to change as the cost of weekly unlimited travel will be priced at £10.75. The price of weekly megarider tickets has been frozen in Banffshire, Moray, Buchan, Caithness, Fort William, Skye and Orkney.
In Scotland, bus operator costs are rising faster than the income generated from people using the bus. There has also been a cut to the reimbursement paid to bus operators under the Scottish Government’s free bus for concessions scheme.
Generally, money from fares is used to invest in more modern, environmentally friendly vehicles as well as smart ticketing and improved services. Recently, the company announced that it is investing £80 million in new vehicles for its bus and coach operations throughout the UK and Europe.
A spokesperson for Stagecoach said:
“We have done our best to hold down prices for our customers. We still have the lowest bus fares of any major bus operator in Britain and catching the bus is still significantly cheaper than commuting by car.”
