(17 Nov 2024, 2:25 pm)Thomas12 wrote The fare structures on the Go North East services don't make any sense to me when I've just had a look.

£4.20 from West Auckland to Newcastle, £2.60 from West Auckland to Chester-le-Street, but £2.90 from Low Fell to Newcastle?

Also as a comparison, on the 309 it's £2.30 from Blyth to Newcastle which seems cheap... I'm assuming that could be because the day ticket price is so low.

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As for fares below £2, fares on Nexus secured services are £1.80 for 2 maybe 3 fare stages on most services.

Edited: 

It's the old single caps they brought in after COVID by the looks of it. 

Gateshead was £1.50 NCL to Gateshead and £1.70 within Gateshead for one of them.

Durham was £2.00 max fare. 

Seems like everything has gone up around 25-30% since 2021 though. Yikes.

(17 Nov 2024, 2:55 pm)Storx wrote Edited: 

It's the old single caps they brought in after COVID by the looks of it. 

Gateshead was £1.50 NCL to Gateshead and £1.70 within Gateshead for one of them.

Durham was £2.00 max fare. 

Seems like everything has gone up around 25-30% since 2021 though. Yikes.

Ah yeah, I had completely forgot about them.

They were probably at the other end of the scale in that they were too cheap.

(17 Nov 2024, 3:09 pm)Thomas12 wrote Ah yeah, I had completely forgot about them.

They were probably at the other end of the scale in that they were too cheap.

Yeah agreed there mind but they've pretty much reversed it now. It's just a shame that anyone who travels into Newcastle from across the water never actually got cheaper fares but they've gained all the price increases though.

It's £3.80 for a single from the MetroCentre to Newcastle now could've swore the return used to be cheaper than that.

Quite a dirty little tactic really. Mind I'm sure someone will be along soon to remind me of other bus companies fares but it doesn't really change anything.

(17 Nov 2024, 3:11 pm)Storx wrote Yeah agreed it was a mess that but they've pretty much reversed it now. It's just a shame that anyone who travels into Newcastle from across the water never actually got cheaper fares but they've gained all the price increases. 

It's £3.80 for a single from the MetroCentre to Newcastle now could've swore the return used to be cheaper than that.

no competition from 100 maybe why its increased?

(17 Nov 2024, 3:12 pm)Rob44 wrote no competition from 100 maybe why its increased?

Probably just the increases tbh. Seems like everything has gone up 30% and I'm sure it used to be £2.90 for a single back in 2021. There just used to be a Metrocentre saver aswell but I don't know if it exists nowadays. 

Seems like it's another fare that avoiding the big summer sale drop in 2021 but gained all the prices increases of reversing it.

Would explain the £2.10 from Rowlands Gill to there and then £4.20 from the next bus stop in Co. Durham. 

Fares are a right mess imo.

(17 Nov 2024, 3:11 pm)Storx wrote Yeah agreed there mind but they've pretty much reversed it now. It's just a shame that anyone who travels into Newcastle from across the water never actually got cheaper fares but they've gained all the price increases though.

It's £3.80 for a single from the MetroCentre to Newcastle now could've swore the return used to be cheaper than that.

Quite a dirty little tactic really. Mind I'm sure someone will be along soon to remind me of other bus companies fares but it doesn't really change anything.

That seems ridiculous. I've just checked and the train fare seems to only be around £1.80-£2.10 (I'm assuming even less if you have a railcard)

I assume bus fares arnt ion " fare stages now. Tried to make it mor simple by ruding the "zones" but that was just an excuse to put up fares!!

Dont get me started on the metro!!

I don't normally look at my bus tickets but this morning I got the 57 for a change and was on what i thought was a new single decker. When i got to work i wanted to check its fleet number and I noticed that the alighting stage on the ticket was newcastle even through I asked for wreckenton. Same with 27 asked for heworth metro but alighting stage was Newcastle. Do they get funding for the difference in normal price and the £2. If so is this not a bit cheeky>>

(17 Nov 2024, 9:32 am)Rob44 wrote from ITV storey about the 1 billion investment

An inflationary limit will also be set to ensure other fares are not automatically increased to £3. The cap will run until the end of 2025.

That will scuttle GNE LOL

(17 Nov 2024, 1:43 pm)Storx wrote It won't mind mind because you're assuming the fares haven't been going up in the background. Picking out your 27, these are some of the fares now:

Newcastle to Felling - £2.90
Newcastle to Heworth - £3.80
Heworth to Bill Quay - £2.30
Heworth to Monkton Lane - £2.90
Heworth to Jarrow - £3.80

Lowest fare bar Newcastle to Gateshead - £2.10

I'd assume some of them were no-where near those rip off prices before the cap.

£2.90 for a single from Newcastle to Felling is extremely poor value for money. The Metro with a Pop card is £1.80 in comparison, or £2.80 without.

Fare table: https://bustimes.org/fares/tariffs/6309319

They haven't, and in fact GNE have publicly made the point that these fares haven't changed. Presumably to try and deflect some of the negativity that comes with increasing fares on all their other tickets: https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/fares-changes-21-july

I think Rob is right, and the inflationary limit will hit not just GNE, but other operators that have gone down the same route as the above. You wouldn't normally look at it retrospectively, and inflation currently only sits at 2.3%. So that's what, 5p increase to a £2 fare? It'd be more of a headache with change on cash fares. Of course, the other thing to consider is that an inflationary limit, doesn't always mean the current rate of inflation. It could be a formula, e.g. CPI + 3%

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I think I'd have been increasing them in line with other fares and publishing that, but at the same time making clear that thanks to Government support, no single fare will be charged more than £2.

(20 Nov 2024, 9:50 am)Rob44 wrote I don't  normally look at my bus tickets but this morning I got the 57 for a change and was on what i thought was a new single decker.  When i got to work i wanted to check its fleet number and I noticed that the alighting stage on the ticket was newcastle even through I asked for wreckenton.  Same with 27 asked for heworth metro but alighting stage was Newcastle.  Do they get funding for the difference in normal price and the £2.  If so is this not a bit cheeky>>

I've seen this when I use the bus - it's always either the next stop or the end of line rather than where I actually ask for.  It's not gaming the system due to the way the formula calculates the reimbursement, though I imagine passenger data won't be much use.

(20 Nov 2024, 12:25 pm)Chris 1 wrote I've seen this when I use the bus - it's always either the next stop or the end of line rather than where I actually ask for.  It's not gaming the system due to the way the formula calculates the reimbursement, though I imagine passenger data won't be much use.

This has been an issue since the introduction of the cap, and I'm surprised management haven't got a grip on it.

I'd suspect what is happening, is that drivers find it easier to just hit the issue button on whatever fare stage their ETM is set on, rather than scrolling through to issue. Most likely because they don't see any value in spending valuable seconds per passenger, scrolling through for the correct stage. Of course, the downside to that, is they've pretty much two years of nonsense data on these fares, rather than actually capturing some accurate data to improve services with.

Who knows, maybe those two extra buses on the 21 wouldn't need BSIP funding, if the data supported more passengers travelling beyond Gateshead Interchange!

Of course, the other question it raises (especially in light of the apparent reintroduction of Revenue Inspectors), is that strictly speaking you don't have a valid ticket beyond the stage printed on it. There's a responsibility on the customer to ensure they've been issued the ticket they've asked for.

(20 Nov 2024, 9:50 am)Rob44 wrote I don't  normally look at my bus tickets but this morning I got the 57 for a change and was on what i thought was a new single decker.  When i got to work i wanted to check its fleet number and I noticed that the alighting stage on the ticket was newcastle even through I asked for wreckenton.  Same with 27 asked for heworth metro but alighting stage was Newcastle.  Do they get funding for the difference in normal price and the £2.  If so is this not a bit cheeky>>

Personally I see it as, you've paid £2 for a ticket, and it's valid for as far as £2 goes, so you get on a 57 at Heworth, pay £2 and your ticket is valid as far as Newcastle. Like others have said though, it doesn't actually matter anymore, and the ticketer machines have always been less friendly for issuing fare stages than the older machines, where it would automatically put the furthest you could get on that fare stage.

(20 Nov 2024, 1:30 pm)deanmachine wrote Personally I see it as, you've paid £2 for a ticket, and it's valid for as far as £2 goes, so you get on a 57 at Heworth, pay £2 and your ticket is valid as far as Newcastle. Like others have said though, it doesn't actually matter anymore, and the ticketer machines have always been less friendly for issuing fare stages than the older machines, where it would automatically put the furthest you could get on that fare stage.

Where's the direction that it doesn't matter coming from, out of interest? It's the one ticket that can accurately record where people are making journeys from/to, if it's sold correctly at the point of sale, so you'd think that level of data would be invaluable to the company.

I remember when tickets were issued to the furthest point on that fare stage in the past, but I recall that this would lead some customers in thinking they're being duped or charged too much for their ticket?

When they came out we were given a vague "they must be recorded correctly". For ease and efficiency, many drivers just press the £2 button which charges them to the end of the route. Most passengers just ask for £2 and don't say their destination.

(20 Nov 2024, 5:22 pm)Adrian wrote Where's the direction that it doesn't matter coming from, out of interest? It's the one ticket that can accurately record where people are making journeys from/to, if it's sold correctly at the point of sale, so you'd think that level of data would be invaluable to the company.

I remember when tickets were issued to the furthest point on that fare stage in the past, but I recall that this would lead some customers in thinking they're being duped or charged too much for their ticket?

There's nothing in terms of direction, just the fact that some drivers pick the furthest stage, and some don't touch the stages at all, and nothing has ever been corrected telling driver's that either way is incorrect. 

Honestly, it's rarely that people even ask for destinations now either, it's just "two pounds please" is the most we ever get. The ticketer system is pretty clumsy too, it takes an age to find a specific destination, back when we actually had multiple fare stages I'd just pick the most popular destination from that point as it's a pain and time consuming to go into the fares and select different ones. 

I've personally not had anybody complain that they've got a ticket to Durham/Newcastle when they're only going 2 stops either.

(21 Nov 2024, 2:53 am)deanmachine wrote I've personally not had anybody complain that they've got a ticket to Durham/Newcastle when they're only going 2 stops either.

Me neither, apart from  someone who complained about the fare from town to southwick being £2.30 but that's because I charged her to the wrong stage by mistake (I'd only been on the road a few weeks).

A lot of people don't even realise it's a cap and think it's a flat fare.

(21 Nov 2024, 2:53 am)deanmachine wrote There's nothing in terms of direction, just the fact that some drivers pick the furthest stage, and some don't touch the stages at all, and nothing has ever been corrected telling driver's that either way is incorrect.  

Honestly, it's rarely that people even ask for destinations now either, it's just "two pounds please" is the most we ever get. The ticketer system is pretty clumsy too, it takes an age to find a specific destination, back when we actually had multiple fare stages I'd just pick the most popular destination from that point as it's a pain and time consuming to go into the fares and select different ones. 

I've personally not had anybody complain that they've got a ticket to Durham/Newcastle when they're only going 2 stops either.

Which seems crazy as all of the passenger data is not going to be accurate.

There destination/boarding info that could be used for so many different reasons is flawed as a result.

A wasted opportunity which could be used to reinforce, reinvent or reinvigorate the network.

(21 Nov 2024, 2:53 am)deanmachine wrote There's nothing in terms of direction, just the fact that some drivers pick the furthest stage, and some don't touch the stages at all, and nothing has ever been corrected telling driver's that either way is incorrect. 

Honestly, it's rarely that people even ask for destinations now either, it's just "two pounds please" is the most we ever get. The ticketer system is pretty clumsy too, it takes an age to find a specific destination, back when we actually had multiple fare stages I'd just pick the most popular destination from that point as it's a pain and time consuming to go into the fares and select different ones. 

I've personally not had anybody complain that they've got a ticket to Durham/Newcastle when they're only going 2 stops either.

oh btw im not complaining. I just assumed that the bus companies would be paid the difference between the two fares and getting 1.60 more for a trip to town is better for them than having to pay 10p back as the fare was originally 1.90..... oh wait

(20 Nov 2024, 7:22 pm)F114TML wrote When they came out we were given a vague "they must be recorded correctly". For ease and efficiency, many drivers just press the £2 button which charges them to the end of the route. Most passengers just ask for £2 and don't say their destination.

I did Fram to Newcastle and back, on Thursday - X21 both waysi. Destination on outgoing ticket was the Cannon and back home was Pity Me. Both random stops in the middle of the route and short of my own destination, which I always state.

(23 Nov 2024, 12:26 am)BusLoverMum wrote I did Fram to Newcastle and back, on Thursday - X21 both waysi. Destination on outgoing ticket was the Cannon and back home was Pity Me. Both random stops in the middle of the route and short of my own destination, which I always state.

and what would happen if a RPO got on the bus after pity me?  Would he try it on saying the ticket wasn't valid?

(23 Nov 2024, 8:49 am)Rob44 wrote and what would happen if a RPO got on the bus after pity me?  Would he try it on saying the ticket wasn't valid?

Doubt it given the fare is the same. Even if they did, it would be the driver's problem, not the passenger's.

Wasn't sure where to put this, but confirmation Kim is subsidising the £3 cap next year so it's £2.50:

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...d-30561260

(6 hours ago)Chris 1 wrote Wasn't sure where to put this, but confirmation Kim is subsidising the £3 cap next year so it's £2.50:

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...d-30561260

So what would be the crack getting the x9/x10 from boro to newcastle as teeside isn't in her remit is it??

(3 hours ago)Rob44 wrote So what would be the crack getting the x9/x10 from boro to newcastle as teeside isn't in her remit is it??

No idea how much the fair was pre-cap, but if it's a material difference I'd be inclined to get a single to Peterlee and then a £2.50 single Peterlee-Newcastle.

Or GNE could set their fare at the same price, save time with passengers doing it themselves.

(6 hours ago)Chris 1 wrote Wasn't sure where to put this, but confirmation Kim is subsidising the £3 cap next year so it's £2.50:

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...d-30561260

Mixed feelings with this one. 
Obviously it's a positive fares aren't going back to the old days. 

But why aren't the operators taking any responsibility here? 

Surely their arms must be sore from holding out the begging bowl 24/7?

(3 hours ago)Chris 1 wrote No idea how much the fair was pre-cap, but if it's a material difference I'd be inclined to get a single to Peterlee and then a £2.50 single Peterlee-Newcastle.

Or GNE could set their fare at the same price, save time with passengers doing it themselves.

Unless it's only 50p then it's going to be cheaper to pay the £3. Remember there's the £3 national cap aswell.

(3 hours ago)Storx wrote Unless it's only 50p then it's going to be cheaper to pay the £3. Remember there's the £3 national cap aswell.

Ah of course, forgot about that!

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(3 hours ago)Andreos1 wrote Mixed feelings with this one. 
Obviously it's a positive fares aren't going back to the old days. 

But why aren't the operators taking any responsibility here? 

Surely their arms must be sore from holding out the begging bowl 24/7?

Snap.  I haven't read the detail so not sure where the funding is coming from?  If BSIP, I don't think it's money well spent.

(3 hours ago)Storx wrote Unless it's only 50p then it's going to be cheaper to pay the £3. Remember there's the £3 national cap aswell.

Ah ha!!

Personally, I don't think it's good enough, especially with Manchester and West Yorkshire keeping the £2 gap, why should we be disadvantaged?

(1 hour ago)deanmachine wrote Personally, I don't think it's good enough, especially with Manchester and West Yorkshire keeping the £2 gap, why should we be disadvantaged?

Agreed to be honest, mind I don't think it should be a flat rate though as stuff like Berwick to Newcastle should be £3.

I'd much rather see further discounts for reasonable fares ie. Blyth to Cramlington or whatever. All the fares in Manchester and West Yorkshire being fair for £2 imo.