(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.