bus fares should be reduced by 20%

[nevermind, neoliberalism has had it 159]

The last five years saw bus price increase due to ''increasing fuel/oil prices''. commuters paid up. Now the bus companies think that every new year they have the need to raise fares, and cite that fuel prices are only a small part of their concerns.Well, shiver me timbers, so now that the oil price has halved they don''t want green commuters, some who have given up driving a car for environmental reasons, to enjoy the same benefits car drivers feel at the pump.Bus companies buy fuel in bulk and I know for a fact that they get at least 5% cheaper fuel than we pay at the pumps, so ALL BUS PRICES SHOULD BE REDUCED BY AT LEAST 20%.Not a single person has made this an issue, it seems that their public service contracts are too lenient and not flexible enough. Where are our cllr.s comments? Buses in Edinburgh cost£ 3.60 for a day ticket on all Lothian routes, their stops give real time information telling you exactly how many minutes your bus will arrive in.here such a ticket costs £6.00 and the bus timetable information provided is useless as it does not give real time information but just runs an electronic timetable, buses that are late just fall of the end of the list and you never know when your bus will actually arrive at the stop.It is untenable that publicly subsidised buses are forcing people back into their cars, increasing pollution and congestion and thereby ill health. It makes a mockery of their perceived green image and their gas powered buses.Please do contact your cllrs./MP''s, this fleecing should not continue just because they can. If fuel is such a small part of their concerns, then they have been lying to us when they raised their prices so many times before.After 26 years of not driving a private vehicle I will now look to getting one, I will not be dictated to by these pirates.

[Herman 9,717]

Who uses buses?OAP''s--for free/heavily subsidisedSchoolkids and students--heavily subsidisedUnemployed--heavily subsidised?Oystercard/Travelcard--reduced ratesAren''t these the reasons why one off users have to pay large fares. These companies have to get money from somewhere to carry on being able to provide a service.

[nevermind, neoliberalism has had it 159]

Not according to the bus companies Herman, they say that these monies are paid by us all, the taxpayer.Subsidised fares for OAp''s regardless of their wealth is somewhat confusing, and most would accept a nominal fare of lets say, £1,- but this is debatable.

[JB 0]

Motorists have ben fleeced morning noon and night for years, any motorist now getting free bus travel has well and truly paid for it many times over.

I believe it was stagecoach a few years back got stung by trying and failing to break into the American bus market. Buses are for moving large numbers of the population cheaply not empire building.

[nevermind, neoliberalism has had it 159]

Last Friday I wrote the following letter to our transport group, cllr.s from all parties. On Monday I refreshed it by re-sending it. yesterday I send it to the BBC, Anglai buses, Sanders, FIRST and Connect.As yet no cllr. has answered back and I had one reply from First.THIS IS APPALLING!

Green commuters want to feel the reduction in oil prices just as you do!
For years our bus and train companies have raised fares by considerable margins, solely due to ''rising fuel prices'', now that the oil price has halved, £ 57,- and falling, not one of them sees it fit to reduce already overpriced/subsidised services accordingly, indeed they are raising prices again, because they can and are not challengedby anyone. 
Other City and Towns with similar services have far cheaper prices, for example a day ticket in Edinburgh cost you £3.50,here the equivalent Fusion ticket costs £ 6,-. Vital routes to the hospitals which people need to use, are having their pricesincreased, when all companies should have flexible enough contracts that enables them to pass on the benefits car usersget at the pump.
I have it from good authorities that bus and train companies already get a 5% reduction on their bulk purchases, so their hike is solely down to what they can get away with. 
Effectively bus companies have undermined their own drive for more cleaner buses by encouraging green commuters to get a car, they are encouraging extra pollution, congestion and ill health by their policies and you, as councillors should take a stanceon this hike, after all these companies want subsidy from us, on top of the golden noses/new buses they are earning themselvesnow.
For example, the First argument goes as follows, ''fuel is only a small part of our concerns''. Well, if that is reallythe case how come it was cited as a reason for just about every fare increase for the last five years?
If council taxpayers/green commuters are used as the pay bodies to subsidise an already overpriced bus service, their assets,maintenance, rents, as well as their shareholders annual appanage, and are not feeling any benefits from the oil price reductions,whilst the general car ownership, the single car occupants, benefit from the oil price collapse, a new fact of our economic life,then the Governments, local and national policies to reduce pollution and carbon in the atmosphere will collapse, they will fail to reach the targets set.
Once again it is the politicians who are sitting on their hands and whatever words they choose will fall on deaf earsas people get back into cars. It is solely down to politicians not reacting to changed circumstances, because consumers, have been prepared to do their bit, its not the general public who is failing, they are hard pressed as it isand they get very little in return.
The information systems that was introduced by the bus companies in Norwich is an utter failure, a waste of money. Rather than copying systems that work, (see Lothian buses) they decided to get their own installed which does not give real timeinformation to bus users, people laugh at it.
I trust that this matter will deserve a comment from those who decide on this years subsidies, if cllrs. agree to these outrageoushikes, please say so, we deserve a 20% reduction in fares, at least, please take this on and fast, otherwise you will geta congested, polluted City centre due to the increasing private car ownership.
As a stone mason I can tell you that this pollution, just have a look at the Cathedral and other limestone building, will eat away at their fabric causing/increasing costs in future. happy busy New year
sincerelyPS: your answer will decide whether I will get a car after 26 years of abstaining, for pollution reasons. If you cannot care, why should the public? I will not pay for car drivers to have a laugh at those who care.
And this came today in response from First, please feel free to respond to these companies should you feel that I have a point. "Thank you for your email of 7th January.
In regards to your enquiry I have passed
your comments onto our commercial team for their feedback and once I receive
a response will contact you accordingly.
If you have any more questions please
email at contactus.fec@firstgroup.com or ring on 08456 020 121. We''re open
from 7:30am to 5:30pm on a weekday.
Best regards
Jan Evans
Customer Service Agent.
South East & Midlands (UK Bus)
First Bus, Unit 6, Lansdowne Road, Norwich, NR6 6NF
Tel: 08456020121 | Fax: +44 (0)1603 408231
www.firstgroup.com
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From:	<ingo8@ingo8.plus.com>
To:	<contactus.fec@firstgroup.com>,
Date:	07/01/2015 11:33
Subject:	Feedback from contact us

[hexem 0]

As a stone mason I can tell you that this pollution, just have a look at the Cathedral and other limestone building, will eat away at their fabric causing/increasing costs in future.Best comment...Hex

[Donkey dangler 0]

[quote user="nevermind"]

Bus companies buy fuel in bulk and I know for a fact that they get at least 5% cheaper fuel than we pay at the pumps, so ALL BUS PRICES SHOULD BE REDUCED BY AT LEAST 20%[/quote]

They either don''t pay the duty and VAT that car drivers pay or if they do they get it back as a rebate. I cant remember which way round but the net effect is that they don''t pay any tax on the fuel.

However you are right they were quick to put the fares up when the crude price was high but they don''t cut the fares back now its much lower.

[Donkey dangler 0]

[quote user="JB"]

I believe it was stagecoach a few years back got stung by trying and failing to break into the American bus market. [/quote]

First Group

[Donkey dangler 0]

Did nevermind get a response?

Was nevermind politely told to get stuffed or words to that effect?

[nevermind, neoliberalism has had it 159]

Its the latter rather than the first. No response from any of our County cllr.s shackled to their parties, not even the Greens. No responses from out bus companies, all pretending to be green, a void of unaccountable silence.