Cheaper public transport fares taking North East passengers anywhere from Berwick to Barnard Castle are set to be rolled out.
The cut-price offers will mean that people will be able to use one ticket to travel across different bus operators, the Tyne and Wear Metro, and the Shields Ferry for a flat fare – with under-22s given an even bigger discount providing unlimited daily travel for just £3. The move is part of a £163.5m package of upgrades that will also include the building of a “major” new park and ride site somewhere in the North East and commitments to to improve bus services’ frequency and hours.
Young people will be able to get their new, cheaper fares this spring, while the adult tickets are expected to be introduced later this year. While the move was hailed as “fantastic news for bus users” as it was signed off by politicians on Tuesday, the mood was not entirely harmonious – with one council leader still accusing private bus operators of “profiteering”.
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The proposed new bus fares are:
- Single ticket for under-22s - £1
- Day ticket for under-22s - £3
- County Durham multi-operator ticket - £4
- Northumberland multi-operator ticket - £5
- Tyne & Wear multi-modal ticket (including Metro and Shields Ferry) - £6
- Two-Zone multi-modal ticket - £6.50
- Regionwide multi-modal ticket - £6.80
Currently, an Explorer North East ticket offering travel across the region would cost £10.90. Members of the North East Joint Transport Committee (JTC) were told on Tuesday afternoon that the prices would be up for review every six months but that the deal, part of a newly-agreed ‘Enhanced Partnership’ between local authorities and bus companies, should be in place until at least March 2025.
However, frustrated Sunderland Council leader Graeme Miller said he “struggled” to understand why Tyne and Wear’s pricing was higher than the rural counties of Durham and Northumberland – calling the discrepancy “wrong”. He added: “The only conclusion I can come to is that we are allowing a bit of profiteering in Tyne and Wear to offset the cost of Durham and Northumberland.”
Glen Sanderson, the Tory leader of Northumberland County Council, also questioned the difference in fare prices between different counties and expressed hope that the new North East devolution deal will give politicians more “clout” to challenge bus companies. A future North East mayor will have the power to franchise bus services, bringing them back under public control.
Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon, who chairs the JTC, said the under-22s offer could be “life-changing” for young people able to travel more affordably for work and education. However, he also warned that the Government needed to offer long-term reassurances about funding for public transport in order to give passengers confidence to make the move away from car travel.
Transport chiefs have feared that up to 20% of the North East’s bus network could be slashed once Government relief cash that has propped up operators since the Covid pandemic hit runs out, with that funding now due to expire at the end of June.
Ben Maxfield, chair of local operators association NEBus, said: “These newly announced plans regarding fares are ambitious and look to provide value for the customer. There is plenty of work to do regarding the detail of these changes to fares, but operators are up for the challenge.”
Other elements of a new Bus Service Improvement Plan for the North East, which has been awarded £163.5m by the Government, include modernised bus stops and stations and “many new bus services and improved services”. Better support for rural areas has also been promised, including ‘demand responsive transport’ and pop-up park and ride sites.
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