'Dead End' FirstBus Slammed by Lib Dems (Paul Scriven)

'Dead End' FirstBus Slammed by Lib Dems

December 14, 2009 9:50 PM

FirstBus Sheffield Liberal Democrats on Sheffield City Council have expressed outrage at FirstBus plans for substantial fare increases in the New Year. FirstBus announced today that they would be reviewing their fare structure on 3rd January. They are planning huge increases of almost 9%.

Cllr Ian Auckland, Liberal Democrat Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport and Streetscene said "Frankly I'm outraged at this plan.

"The FirstBus approach seems to be based on a shrinking network with fewer passengers paying more and more for a worse service, with the taxpayer struggling to plug a few gaps. As far as I'm concerned this is a bus service with the destination 'dead end'. Sheffield deserves better."

The largest fare increases will be for monthly tickets, which will see a rise from £60.00 to £65.90 for a Sheffield ticket, an increase of almost 9%. Sheffield Weekly tickets will go up by £1.50, and an adult single ticket for a journey which currently costs £3.20 will now cost £3.50.

Cllr Auckland added: "This will be a huge blow to passengers who rely on public transport to get around Sheffield. As a Council we will not be entering into any kind of agreement with bus companies that involves unjustified fare increases or service reductions. Sheffielders expect, and deserve, better than that.

"We have the Tories to blame for privatising buses in the first place. However, it is nothing short of a national scandal that since 1997 the Labour Government have sat back and done nothing whilst private companies exploit bus passengers. It's high time that the buses were brought back into the control of local people.

"As a Council that is what we are trying to do, but Labour inaction and Tory hostility to our plans may scupper this."