(26 Feb 2020, 12:02 pm)streetdeckfan wrote As I've mentioned before, for the one off journey, buses aren't exactly cheap, but I wouldn't say they're expensive either. Plus, with the changes last year it's often the same price for a return as it is for a day ticket.
I don't know about the figures, but I'd imagine the amount of people buying single tickets is quite low compared to buying returns or day tickets.
The last time I bought a single ticket was when I realised that I'd left my pass in the house and went back to get it (I got a lift to the bus station). Even before that I started paying for the monthly ticket, I would always buy day tickets because I'd be travelling on at least 2 buses to get anywhere (and unless you live in or only travel to a city centre, or happen to only travel along one route, you probably will too).
Plus, I'm the sort of person that would spend the extra to get a day ticket and once I've finished just go to Hexham, or the beach, or anywhere interesting really!
Whether the amount of people buying singles or not, is low doesn't matter.
There is a market for them and they need to priced in such a way that people find them attractive and it encourages people to use the bus.
I often need to buy singles due to the nature of my work.
I get the train to the station, use the train to another part of the country and come back a day or two later.
I won't be the only one and it costs a fortune for me to use the bus in this manner (check out Houghton - Durham single fares).
Prior to the weekend, I last used the bus in mid December. Circumstances meant I had to buy a single then (check out the price of a single from Newcastle - Houghton).
If the 24 hour tickets hadn't been launched, then both mine and MrsC's ticket at the weekend would have been a single, alongside the one my mate bought.
It would have been a single for both myself and MrsC the following day too.
The cost of each of those singles just fall below the cost of a day ticket.
It would have been nice to have gone to Hexham or the beach, but time and circumstances didn't allow us to do so. As I imagine it wouldn't quite a few others.