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+--- Thread: Pricing (/showthread.php?tid=324)
RE: Pricing - Tom - 02 Nov 2013
I have a KeyCard and a POP Card. I use the POP card more though. I use Go North East when heading into County Durham, Consett and Middlesbrough e.g. But when I am in Northumberland, I always use Arriva. For £1.35 more, I don't mind. For example, if I'm travelling from Ashington to Blyth it would be a total nightmare with Go North East. I would have to get a 19 from Ashington to Cobalt, then a 309 from Cobalt to Blyth. However, it would take me about 30 minutes on the 1!
I personally don't mind what company I use. I don't mind Arriva, but prefer Go North East!
RE: Pricing - Adrian - 02 Nov 2013
(02 Nov 2013, 9:20 pm)Tom Thats a bloody disgrace that. But when I lost my bus pass (POP Card and Key Card, along with £10) I got charged £2.60 from Battle Hill to Newcastle on the 58. For the rest of the week I just used the 306/308 if going to Newcastle because it was only 80p!
It's great isn't it. Not having a pop card or key card is an excuse for lack of common sense. Thankfully the QCS proposal (
) would apply a common sense approach. If you don't have a card for whatever reason, or have left it at home, you don't need to worry. A multi-modal single ticket is available for 80p, with a day ticket being priced at £1.50. Only 20p and 40p more expensive than if you were to use a pass.
RE: Pricing - Dan - 02 Nov 2013
(02 Nov 2013, 9:39 pm)Andreos1 Wonder what the uptake compared to usage of Key cars in Tyne & Wear is.
If living and travelling in Tyne & Wear, it makes no sense having anything but the Pop card.
However, having it 'just incase', does make sense.
One journey into Co Durham a year, would be worth applying for one.
Plenty of my mates who live in Tyne & Wear don't have Key Cards - they only have POP cards... I just don't understand why.
Let's say they make an off trip to Durham from Sunderland on the 20 once every two months. They're going to make a massive saving by using a Key Card! Christ, some of the posher ones could even afford a new shirt from Jack Wills or something with the savings if they had a Key Card!
Given that your first card is free, I really do not understand why people don't apply for one just in case.
RE: Pricing - Tom - 02 Nov 2013
(02 Nov 2013, 9:43 pm)aureolin It's great isn't it. Not having a pop card or key card is an excuse for lack of common sense. Thankfully the QCS proposal (
I cannot see the logic in charging Over 11's full fare.
RE: Pricing - Adrian - 02 Nov 2013
(02 Nov 2013, 9:48 pm)Tom I cannot see the logic in charging Over 11's full fare.
There is none. It's just a cop out. I don't have to show ID every time I want to go for a pint - a common sense approach is used to valid if I'm eligible to make that purchase.
RE: Pricing - Dan - 02 Nov 2013
(02 Nov 2013, 9:48 pm)Tom I cannot see the logic in charging Over 11's full fare.
At what age would you start charging teens full fare, if they were not in possession of a POP or Key Card? I personally think 11 is too young, and that 14 would be more appropriate.
I know 14 year olds that look older than 16, so what's the proof that they are indeed under 16 and they deserve the concessionary travel rate? Simply put, there is none - unless they hold identification which tells the driver otherwise.
RE: Pricing - Adrian - 02 Nov 2013
(02 Nov 2013, 10:00 pm)Dan At what age would you start charging teens full fare, if they were not in possession of a POP or Key Card? I personally think 11 is too young, but 14 would be more suitable.
I know 14 year olds that look older than 16, so what's the proof that they are indeed under 16 and they deserve the concessionary travel rate? Simply put, there is none.
I do actually disagree with the POP card age being 16. It makes a lot more sense for it to be 18. By 2015 all young people will have to remain in education or training until the age of 18, so I'd imagine the age limit on the scheme would need to be raised anyway? (subject to Nexus raiding the piggy bank).
I understand what you're saying about people looking older, but I see on a daily basis, kids in a school uniform being turned away for not having a POP or Key card. To me the common sense approach would be to issue them an under 18 single, as there's justification behind it. That's the point I was making really. Application of common sense.
RE: Pricing - tyresmoke - 02 Nov 2013
The rules should be the same all over though, not different rules in different places. For example in Teesside it's 16, as soon as you go into North Yorkshire or County Durham the limit is 14.
RE: Pricing - Andreos1 - 02 Nov 2013
(02 Nov 2013, 9:43 pm)Dan Plenty of my mates who live in Tyne & Wear don't have Key Cards - they only have POP cards... I just don't understand why.
Let's say they make an off trip to Durham from Sunderland on the 20 once every two months. They're going to make a massive saving by using a Key Card! Christ, some of the posher ones could even afford a new shirt from Jack Wills or something with the savings if they had a Key Card!
Given that your first card is free, I really do not understand why people don't apply for one just in case.
If making that odd journey into Co Durham, then it is worth it. I agree with you there.
If it never happens - then that is reason enough to not bother applying.
To order a card 'just incase', but not find it or forget where you left it a year earlier then defeats the object.
The one time me and my son needed a bus into Durham, was one Saturday over the summer and he was charged 90p each way.
It was only afterwards I realised the drivers had made a mistake...
Back in the day - the old T&W child pass was issued on reaching 14. Not 11 and not 16 or 18.
On a slightly different note, I agree with aureolin and the points he has made re the Key card.
RE: Pricing - Dan - 02 Nov 2013
Isn't it the 2014/15 academic year? I'm sure I have to stay in education now rather than going out to get a job immediately if that's what I wanted.
My mam keeps on mentioning the fact that surely 'the people who make the POP cards' must be going to bump the age up to 'Under 18' if everyone has to be in some form of education from next year, but I just don't see it happening. Haven't they already released something specific to the Metro for that purpose?
RE: Pricing - Adrian - 02 Nov 2013
(02 Nov 2013, 10:19 pm)Dan Isn't it the 2014/15 academic year? I'm sure I have to stay in education now rather than going out to get a job immediately if that's what I wanted.
My mam keeps on mentioning the fact that surely 'the people who make the POP cards' must be going to bump the age up to 'Under 18' if everyone has to be in some form of education from next year, but I just don't see it happening. Haven't they already released something specific to the Metro for that purpose?
As ever with the government, it's never simply put! Extract from their website below:
The government has increased the age to which all young people in England must continue in education or training, requiring them to continue until the end of the academic year in which they turn 17 from 2013 and until their 18th birthday from 2015.
This means that pupils who left year 11 in summer 2013 need to continue in education or training until at least the end of the academic year in which they turn 17. Pupils starting year 11 or below in September 2013 will need to continue until at least their 18th birthday.
http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/participation/rpa
That being said, you'd expect councils and ITAs to be forced to subsidise fares until such age. If a commercial operator turned round and decided to scrap such scheme, there'd be nothing stopping them do so. I don't know about other areas, but surely a case to raise POP to Under 18.
RE: Pricing - Andreos1 - 02 Nov 2013
If the ITA oversee the scheme, who are the operators to decide to implement their own, adapting the age, rules and prices to suit?
The operators don't do it with regard to other types of concessions - so why kids?
RE: Pricing - Tom - 02 Nov 2013
These ones are a joke, and demonstrates how expensive Stagecoach in Cumbria fares (well, single fares anyway) are:
© Craig Yip
![[Image: 2814799216_5e9ccac459_b.jpg]](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3178/2814799216_5e9ccac459_b.jpg)
RE: Pricing - tyresmoke - 02 Nov 2013
(02 Nov 2013, 11:29 pm)Tom These ones are a joke, and demonstrates how expensive Stagecoach in Cumbria fares (well, single fares anyway) are:
© Craig Yip
Yes single fares in the Lakes are eye wateringly high, but it subsidises the winter season when hardly anyone wants to travel to Hawkshead or Windermere.
RE: Pricing - CatsFast101 - 03 Nov 2013
(02 Nov 2013, 10:11 pm)Andreos1 If making that odd journey into Co Durham, then it is worth it. I agree with you there.
If it never happens - then that is reason enough to not bother applying.
To order a card 'just incase', but not find it or forget where you left it a year earlier then defeats the object.
The one time me and my son needed a bus into Durham, was one Saturday over the summer and he was charged 90p each way.
It was only afterwards I realised the drivers had made a mistake...
Back in the day - the old T&W child pass was issued on reaching 14. Not 11 and not 16 or 18.
On a slightly different note, I agree with aureolin and the points he has made re the Key card.
You've hit the nail on the head about key cards, my brother who is few years younger than me is now in his last year of school, he gets a lift to and from school each day and should he meet friends he'll walk or get a lift, so he never uses buses really. Last December, he had to use a bus hime as my mother was working late so I thought with him getting older he may want/need to use buses a bit more so I ordered him a KeyCard from the internet. However, as he was only getting it just in case he uses a bus on the off chance, he soon misplaced the card and it is currently sitting unactivated lost somewhere. As he's now 15, he used the bus to the Sunderland cup game the other day and has to pay £3.15 (I think) Seaham-Sunderland.
RE: Pricing - Andreos1 - 03 Nov 2013
(03 Nov 2013, 9:06 am)CatsFast101 You've hit the nail on the head about key cards, my brother who is few years younger than me is now in his last year of school, he gets a lift to and from school each day and should he meet friends he'll walk or get a lift, so he never uses buses really. Last December, he had to use a bus hime as my mother was working late so I thought with him getting older he may want/need to use buses a bit more so I ordered him a KeyCard from the internet. However, as he was only getting it just in case he uses a bus on the off chance, he soon misplaced the card and it is currently sitting unactivated lost somewhere. As he's now 15, he used the bus to the Sunderland cup game the other day and has to pay £3.15 (I think) Seaham-Sunderland.
Amazing isn't it.
Legally he isn't allowed to:
* smoke
* drink
* have sex
* vote
* buy a lottery ticket
* work
* leave full time education
* drive
But because he couldn't find a piece of plastic giving him an entitlement to members club 'reduced prices' (and I use reduced prices carefully), he is charged the same price as an adult who legally can do all of those things listed above.
RE: Pricing - citaro5284 - 03 Nov 2013
(03 Nov 2013, 9:06 am)CatsFast101 I thought with him getting older he may want/need to use buses a bit more so I ordered him a KeyCard from the internet. However, as he was only getting it just in case he uses a bus on the off chance, he soon misplaced the card and it is currently sitting unactivated lost somewhere. As he's now 15, he used the bus to the Sunderland cup game the other day and has to pay £3.15 (I think) Seaham-Sunderland.
So, how is it the bus companies fault that he misplaced it and it is sitting somewhere unactivated. I do not complain to Barclays if I lose my debit card and it is my fault.
Also instead of just discussing GNE keycards on here.....what child fares do Arriva and Stagecoach operate to?
RE: Pricing - Andreos1 - 03 Nov 2013
(03 Nov 2013, 9:54 am)citaro5284 So, how is it the bus companies fault that he misplaced it and it is sitting somewhere unactivated. I do not complain to Barclays if I lose my debit card and it is my fault.
Also instead of just discussing GNE keycards on here.....what child fares do Arriva and Stagecoach operate to?
Not sure anyone did say it was GNE's fault if someone lost a Key Card.
It was a discussion revolving around having a card 'just incase' someone needed it.
Can't comment on SNE or ANE prices, as the excellent value £1.10 day ticket using a POP card covers any journeys on their vehicles.
Although Tom mentioned something along the lines of him specifically getting on Arriva bus along the Coast Road after losing his pass, because the journey was 80p rather than the couple of quid it cost him prior to that on a GNE bus
RE: Pricing - Dan - 03 Nov 2013
(03 Nov 2013, 9:54 am)citaro5284 So, how is it the bus companies fault that he misplaced it and it is sitting somewhere unactivated. I do not complain to Barclays if I lose my debit card and it is my fault.
Also instead of just discussing GNE keycards on here.....what child fares do Arriva and Stagecoach operate to?
I believe the VIP card is the Stagecoach equivalent of Go North East's Key Card. If I lose that, I am no longer entitled to the reduced fares it provides.
If I did lose it, it would be my fault. I'm the type of person to have a spare card too, so this is unlikely to happen - but my point still stands.
I'm sure it will be the same story for Arriva too, but we like to focus on Go North East... don't we?
RE: Pricing - Dan - 03 Nov 2013
As for still paying child fare without these cards... I often find there isn't a rule for the operator, but it is indeed the driver who decides what to charge the customer.
Go North East drivers seem to always charge the adult fare, but Stagecoach and Arriva drivers seem to sometimes charge the adult fare but sometimes charge the child fare.