Bus & Train Fare Rises

Despite the focus today on the rise in train fares and the comments in the local press we could be forgiven for thinking that they were the only one's to suffer from fares.

You would be wrong...

Conservative MP's seemingly happy to talk about train fares in today's Messenger have totally airbrushed the thousands who use buses across the area.

It annoys me enough that I have been working with bus users and residents on sourcing the real impacts of cuts on local bus services. Working with the Tory-led Council who seem happy to ignore the cuts in government grants and the fact that local authorities should be open and transparent about why local services should be getting more expensive has been tricky. The responses have seemed evasive to accepting any responsibility on bus usage and there is a total lack of clarity on the manner in which reductions in subsidy are consulted upon, in advance, with local representatives.

Instead, it seems Councillor's are only spoken with after decisions have been made.

It is simply living in denial to claim that bus users in Medway are not suffering a worse deal. Not only have they had to spend a fortune on the over-budget bus station but they are now seeing real cuts to services and fare rises, in an area with an already poor reputation for value for money.

There is no doubt that many feel burnt by the bus station fiasco which will cost twice the original budget estimate of £5m. The news today that the Pentagon bus station car park will cost £160,000 just adds to the woe.

So why do bus users get ignored? Partly this is because the media tend to be focused on the more middle-class 'train users' who have more political influence but also because bus users tend to have lower overall fares and we assume that many will only make small journeys and so the increases will be less significant.

Of course the cumulative damage of rising bus fares on poorer communities is significant. Cuts to bus services and rises in fares mean that low-income families with no car are at risk of falling into poverty.

We know buses are vital, connecting people with town centres, jobs, colleges, shopping, family and friends, and when bus services are cut, people’s lives are badly affected

Indeed, the Tory-led government’s budget allocation for Medway transport was significantly cut by the government from £3.5m per year to £1.5m per year.

As a result Medway has seen

• Single fares up by 10p or 20p. e.g. Single fare on the 181 from Street End Road to Weeds Wood will go from £2.20 to £2.40 (9% increase)
• Inner Medway day ticket up from £4.00 to £4.20 (5%)
• Inner Medway week ticket up from £16 to £17 (6%)
• Inner Medway 4-week ticket up from £47 to £50 (6%)
• Inner Medway annual ticket up from £470 to £500 (6%)
• Medway day ticket up from £5.20 to £5.50 (6%)
• Medway week ticket up from £21 to £22 (5%)
• Medway 4-week ticket up from £68 to £72 (6%)
• Medway annual ticket up from £670 to £720 (7%)

The popular ‘Happy Max’ deal and evening fares will no longer be available.

The Labour opposition in government has called time on the private-sector operations which have left services fragmented and disjointed. It is now time, according to the Shadow Transport Secretary, to look at options to bring some services in-house and for residents to be given a proper consultation on services and fares. I agree.

Labour Councillor's will continue to stand up for our residents who use buses and trains. We believe that with this government fare isn't fair.