National Express West Midlands have announced that there will be no fare increases in January 2021 and all prices will be frozen.
QuoteNational Express West Midlands is not putting up any of its bus fares. The price of every one of the company's tickets will be exactly the same in January 2021 as they are now.
There have already been four years of fares cuts and freezes up to now, including keeping the bus company's biggest-selling product - the after-0930 day ticket - costing the same today as it did in 2013.
David Bradford, Managing Director of National Express West Midlands, said:
"We think our customers have been through quite enough change for one year. Keeping our fares as low as we can is the right thing to do.
"Throughout the whole pandemic, National Express West Midlands has been getting hundreds of thousands of key workers safely to where they need to be. And we are here for our communities when restrictions get lifted and people are ready to travel again.
"Buses are for everyone, and don't forget, with Birmingham's Clean Air Zone coming in next June, the easiest and cheapest thing you can do to clean up our air and fight climate change is to hop on the bus."
https://nxbus.co.uk/west-midlands/news/bus-fares-not-going-up-in-january
Very welcome news for bus users of the Second City and surrounding areas.
I'm pretty sure it's due to the government's job retention bonus scheme.
(https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53761932)
Good pr for national express they were also on the national news talking about reduced carbon emissions etc
Quote from: mesub on December 04, 2020, 10:30:24 PM
I'm pretty sure it's due to the government's job retention bonus scheme.
(https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53761932)
Can't you accept it as good news, it bad enough with some of the comments from the public on Social media.
Quote from: mesub on December 04, 2020, 10:30:24 PM
I'm pretty sure it's due to the government's job retention bonus scheme.
(https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53761932)
No it's not
Quote from: Steve3229vp on December 05, 2020, 07:29:42 AM
Can't you accept it as good news, it bad enough with some of the comments from the public on Social media.
It is very good news.
Edit: That article just came to mind when I saw this topic.
The job retention bonus scheme has been scrapped anyway.
Quote from: Gareth on December 05, 2020, 10:00:42 PM
The job retention bonus scheme has been scrapped anyway.
Oh really? Interesting, I wasn't aware of that
Quote from: Steve3229vp on December 05, 2020, 07:29:42 AM
Can't you accept it as good news, it bad enough with some of the comments from the public on Social media.
Given this government's failures this year, I'm not surprised people are unhappy, but that's neither here nor there
The frozen prices are great news for bus users
CBSSG terms & conditions state NO fare increases until 4 weeks after the grant has finished.
A notice has gone up in buses saying fares are frozen.
NX weren't so open about reducing the service 30% on my local route in the daytime.
A publican would be a laughing stock if he posted a notice saying our prices are unchanged but you will only get two thirds of a pint!
Safety, Reliability (of service and information) and convenience come above fares in my expectations.
If somebody had told me at the turn of the century that the annual retail price index would rise on average by 2% per annum I would have made a rough estimate the single fare would now be £1.10 and weekly pass just over £11! The price of petrol has gone down 10% in real terms in that time!
Quote from: JoNi on December 15, 2020, 02:34:10 PM
A notice has gone up in buses saying fares are frozen.
NX weren't so open about reducing the service 30% on my local route in the daytime.
A publican would be a laughing stock if he posted a notice saying our prices are unchanged but you will only get two thirds of a pint!
Safety, Reliability (of service and information) and convenience come above fares in my expectations.
If somebody had told me at the turn of the century that the annual retail price index would rise on average by 2% per annum I would have made a rough estimate the single fare would now be £1.10 and weekly pass just over £11! The price of petrol has gone down 10% in real terms in that time!
Not sure how you have worked those prices out, the were above that in 2000
How much has insurance gone up in those 20 years, how much have wages gone up in 20 years, how much has diesel gone up in 20 years?
National Express did actually want to reduce fares, but are not allowed to by the government.
Quote from: JoNi on December 15, 2020, 02:34:10 PM
A notice has gone up in buses saying fares are frozen.
NX weren't so open about reducing the service 30% on my local route in the daytime.
A publican would be a laughing stock if he posted a notice saying our prices are unchanged but you will only get two thirds of a pint!
Safety, Reliability (of service and information) and convenience come above fares in my expectations.
If somebody had told me at the turn of the century that the annual retail price index would rise on average by 2% per annum I would have made a rough estimate the single fare would now be £1.10 and weekly pass just over £11! The price of petrol has gone down 10% in real terms in that time!
Your comparison with the pub doesn't stand up either. The product you get from the supplier is the same, in the case of the bus a journey of the same distance, just not available at so many times, exactly the same as pubs this year with reduced opening hours and periods with no service at all
Quote from: Tony on December 15, 2020, 02:49:54 PM
Not sure how you have worked those prices out, the were above that in 2000
How much has insurance gone up in those 20 years, how much have wages gone up in 20 years, how much has diesel gone up in 20 years?
National Express did actually want to reduce fares, but are not allowed to by the government.
I chose 2000 because buses had been operating for 15 years in a commercial environment.
A picture dated 28/1/2000 of poster on 2863 dated stated the Coventry single fare was 75p, its now £2.20
The January 2000 Centro map states the Coventry one week Faresaver was £7.70, its now £15.
I usually buy an nBus at £17 as you only need to ride on one non NX bus to get value for money. When waiting in Foleshill recently there were three 20s all due in 9 minutes, I just hopped on a 48C which was empty and twice as comfortable!
The regional Busmaster was £12.50 in 2000 and that's only 50% more today at £17.50 as nBus.
The fuel price comparison came from this website written by a rational petrolhead (they do exist)
http://www.speedlimit.org.uk/petrolprices.html
Apologies for delay in replying TfWM website returned 28 options for a weekly ticket!
Quote from: JoNi on December 15, 2020, 02:34:10 PM
NX weren't so open about reducing the service 30% on my local route in the daytime.
Which route?
I would guess its probably lack of passengers.
I think 80 along Icknield Port Road and Ladywood doubled in frequency a few years back so 100% increase and X20/X21/X22 corridor between University Station and City Centre and X12/X70 through Bromford have also has seen a 100+% increase in comparison to the predecessor routes. Probably others as well.
Quote from: JoNi on December 15, 2020, 02:34:10 PM
A notice has gone up in buses saying fares are frozen.
NX weren't so open about reducing the service 30% on my local route in the daytime.
Yes which route as 30% reduction could be moving from every 6 to every 8 minute frequency, not exactly a big increase. Even going from every 12 to 15 mins isn't exactly an excessively long wait for a bus.
The overall bus picture in the West Midlands is much improved from the 2000s. All vehicles are fully accessible and there has been massive investment in high quality new vehicles. My favourite buses were the Metrobuses and as much as I miss them and wish some were still in service, I can't deny that the vehicles are much nicer to travel on now comfort wise.
Quote from: 2206 on December 15, 2020, 06:46:38 PM
Which route?
I would guess its probably lack of passengers.
I think 80 along Icknield Port Road and Ladywood doubled in frequency a few years back so 100% increase and X20/X21/X22 corridor between University Station and City Centre and X12/X70 through Bromford have also has seen a 100+% increase in comparison to the predecessor routes. Probably others as well.
In my case Coventry route 17/A its fourth route number in under 10 years!
This is not the only route in Coventry that has suffered headway reductions in September changes when cross City links were altered linking busier route ends with quieter route ends presumably to enhance their apparent financial performance. I appreciate buses are likely to have been freed up to provide Covid sweeper journeys so expect headways to be restored after Covid.
When I asked a lost passenger in Pool Meadow if they needed help , he said "Why are they always changing the bloody route numbers"!
I rarely travel by bus in Birmingham since introduction of utilitarian Platinum buses on X1, which are also used on the routes you mention.
Quote from: JoNi on December 16, 2020, 08:15:04 PM
utilitarian Platinum buses on X1, which are also used on the routes you mention.
Definition of Utilarian
"designed to be useful or practical rather than attractive"
So as they are useful and practical what is the problem
Quote from: j789 on December 15, 2020, 07:41:35 PM
Yes which route as 30% reduction could be moving from every 6 to every 8 minute frequency, not exactly a big increase. Even going from every 12 to 15 mins isn't exactly an excessively long wait for a bus.
The overall bus picture in the West Midlands is much improved from the 2000s. All vehicles are fully accessible and there has been massive investment in high quality new vehicles. My favourite buses were the Metrobuses and as much as I miss them and wish some were still in service, I can't deny that the vehicles are much nicer to travel on now comfort wise.
The Coventry service 17 has reduced from every 10 minutes to every 15 minutes, which now suffers the effects of traffic congestion in Walsgrave Hospital leading 24 minute gap when I checked phone for next bus recently. The Metrobuses were superb buses having comfortable seats shaped for sufficient leg room, which also matched up with window pillars.
Quote from: JoNi on December 16, 2020, 08:52:50 PM
The Coventry service 17 has reduced from every 10 minutes to every 15 minutes, which now suffers the effects of traffic congestion in Walsgrave Hospital leading 24 minute gap when I checked phone for next bus recently. The Metrobuses were superb buses having comfortable seats shaped for sufficient leg room, which also matched up with window pillars.
So a platinum with much more legroom than a Metrobus and also windows lined up with seats is what?
Quote from: Tony on December 16, 2020, 08:18:49 PM
Definition of Utilarian
"designed to be useful or practical rather than attractive"
So as they are useful and practical what is the problem
Hi Tony
It was a word used to describe the seats in NXs 20 to Nuneaton in a comparison made on the blog of BusandTrainUser with Stagecoachs route 48 Gold bus.
The problem is West Midlands bus users are conditioned to expect no better.
Sample a ride in the plush bright interior of a brand new Witchway bus on a drab soggy day in Manchester for an equivalent journey to the X1.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NxFpIMOtaXg&feature=youtu.be
Both TfWM and NX have leaders of Customer Experience whose key role should be to motivate travellers to expect the best that can be achieved.
Quote from: JoNi on December 16, 2020, 09:21:51 PM
Hi Tony
It was a word used to describe the seats in NXs 20 to Nuneaton in a comparison made on the blog of BusandTrainUser with Stagecoachs route 48 Gold bus.
The problem is West Midlands bus users are conditioned to expect no better.
Sample a ride in the plush bright interior of a brand new Witchway bus on a drab soggy day in Manchester for an equivalent journey to the X1.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NxFpIMOtaXg&feature=youtu.be
Both TfWM and NX have leaders of Customer Experience whose key role should be to motivate travellers to expect the best that can be achieved.
You used it to describe the buses on the X1 though
Quote from: JoNi on December 16, 2020, 08:15:04 PM
In my case Coventry route 17/A its fourth route number in under 10 years!
This is not the only route in Coventry that has suffered headway reductions in September changes when cross City links were altered linking busier route ends with quieter route ends presumably to enhance their apparent financial performance. I appreciate buses are likely to have been freed up to provide Covid sweeper journeys so expect headways to be restored after Covid.
When I asked a lost passenger in Pool Meadow if they needed help , he said "Why are they always changing the bloody route numbers"!
I rarely travel by bus in Birmingham since introduction of utilitarian Platinum buses on X1, which are also used on the routes you mention.
*complains about route numbers changing*
*refers to a company that uses the same route number for its route between Coventry and Atherstone/
Leicester*
Oh was it the 57/58/157/158 you were waiting for to get to Leicester from Nuneaton? Nah, it's now the 48. Not that one, that goes in the opposite direction to Atherstone. Yes, it is still the 48 but it is so
much better than those poxy people in the West Midlands hur hur hur.
And in 2000 the Stagecoach fare from Nuneaton to Bedworth was 3x the TWM fare from Solihull to Bedworth.
On a journey I used to do frequently to get to work, it would cost 99p on the 777 from Chelmsley Wood to Atherstone, over £5 from Atherstone to Bedworth.
Quote from: j789 on December 15, 2020, 07:41:35 PM
Yes which route as 30% reduction could be moving from every 6 to every 8 minute frequency, not exactly a big increase. Even going from every 12 to 15 mins isn't exactly an excessively long wait for a bus.
The overall bus picture in the West Midlands is much improved from the 2000s. All vehicles are fully accessible and there has been massive investment in high quality new vehicles. My favourite buses were the Metrobuses and as much as I miss them and wish some were still in service, I can't deny that the vehicles are much nicer to travel on now comfort wise.
When checking Real time app when walking to bus stop this afternoon for 15 minute service it said first bus 15 minutes, second bus 16 minutes. By moving forward up the route I found the gap to the previous bus was 26 minutes on what used to be a 10 minute service. You can't prove it using bustimes but I can send a screenshot from my phone as experience tells me buses have a habit of suddenly disappearing when gaps appear!
Quote from: JoNi on December 17, 2020, 05:30:27 PM
When checking Real time app when walking to bus stop this afternoon for 15 minute service it said first bus 15 minutes, second bus 16 minutes. By moving forward up the route I found the gap to the previous bus was 26 minutes on what used to be a 10 minute service. You can't prove it using bustimes but I can send a screenshot from my phone as experience tells me buses have a habit of suddenly disappearing when gaps appear!
I don't think you can moan that much when the West Midlands has one of the largest and most complex urban bus network in the whole of the UK mainly down to the fact we don't have a significant rapid transit system. I will insist this despite what others think, NX do a cracking job when you look that they operate over 80% of the services in the area and serve so many people and do it very, very well and for relatively good value for money.
Quote from: JoNi on December 17, 2020, 05:30:27 PM
When checking Real time app when walking to bus stop this afternoon for 15 minute service it said first bus 15 minutes, second bus 16 minutes. By moving forward up the route I found the gap to the previous bus was 26 minutes on what used to be a 10 minute service. You can't prove it using bustimes but I can send a screenshot from my phone as experience tells me buses have a habit of suddenly disappearing when gaps appear!
But even with a 10 min frequency if the same 15 minute delay occurred the passenger would still be waiting 26 minutes for the bus, it would just be that the second bus would also be running a few minutes late rather than on time like the second bus in your example. Maybe doing the frequency decrease actually improves punctuality of the service as in your example 1 out of two buses is on time whereas in mine with the every 10 minute frequency both would be late!!!
Quote from: j789 on December 17, 2020, 09:48:35 PM
But even with a 10 min frequency if the same 15 minute delay occurred the passenger would still be waiting 26 minutes for the bus, it would just be that the second bus would also be running a few minutes late rather than on time like the second bus in your example. Maybe doing the frequency decrease actually improves punctuality of the service as in your example 1 out of two buses is on time whereas in mine with the every 10 minute frequency both would be late!!!
This a service pottering up and down to a local estate with negotiable traffic congestion at the Cheylesmore end.
Quote from: bususer28 on December 17, 2020, 07:55:19 PM
I don't think you can moan that much when the West Midlands has one of the largest and most complex urban bus network in the whole of the UK mainly down to the fact we don't have a significant rapid transit system. I will insist this despite what others think, NX do a cracking job when you look that they operate over 80% of the services in the area and serve so many people and do it very, very well and for relatively good value for money.
Like you I see no point in moaning so I devised a customer charter with an accountable leader for each aspect of the thirty aspects of a bus journey and forwarded to those in positions of influence in TfWM and NX.
I successfully tested it by contacting the leaders I felt ultimately responsible for two of these aspects (destination display and timetables)
A bus blind that had been defective for eight years was fixed in two weeks.
Timetables and panels missing from a bus rail interchange appeared within a week proving it is possible achieve specific customer led expectations.
I dont exaggerate when I say there aren't enough hours in the day to report everything I see let alone strive to improve, so after Covid I will plant the notion with influential leaders for all office based TfWM and NX staff at all levels to sample services as mystery customers!