Fare Cap

[LD713821]

Exactly, and I believe the mayors of not-yet-franchised Liverpool and West Yorkshire are using BSIP funds to finance it and  even then only confirmed it until the end of March.

Also was the single ticket price £2.40 when the previous government introduced the cap? If so £2.90 is probably an accurate reflection of inflation since then.

Are they? That's interesting thought it was limited to franchised London/Manc, if they are we should 100% get it too
Can we afford it though, surley he 2nd biggest city gets some sort of funding compared to other reigons?

[cardew]

Are they? That's interesting thought it was limited to franchised London/Manc, if they are we should 100% get it too
Can we afford it though, surley he 2nd biggest city gets some sort of funding compared to other reigons?

I recall reading it but of course their arrangements could be set up differently to those in WM. It's clearly a complicated situation 

[Stu]

They took control over most bus fares not all, single tickets are still decided by the operator.
For TFWM Rotue Tenders, single ticket prices are not allowed to exceed the 'dominant operator' price however (NX)
Walsall Community Transport has £3.00 adult return, £1.00 child single ext

As far as I am aware, for several years now it is TfWM who sets the 'maximum single fare' and this is of course done through consulting with bus operators. Presumably with NX Bus as the 'dominant' operator, they are probably the one that has more sway.

Operators could of course charge less if they wish, however since operator-only tickets were abolished and replaced with nBus, I assume that all operators are expected to charge the same single fare.

Richard Parker does not like NX.

That has become increasingly clear. Expect his axe to grind even further as the franchising consultation progresses.

[Stu]

Metro mayors also have the choice to do it as well, several other Metro Mayors are keeping the £2 cap

Are they? That's interesting thought it was limited to franchised London/Manc, if they are we should 100% get it too
Can we afford it though, surley he 2nd biggest city gets some sort of funding compared to other reigons?

I recall reading it but of course their arrangements could be set up differently to those in WM. It's clearly a complicated situation

It's to do with 'funding streams'. Metro regions that are keeping the £2 cap will be paying for it out of their own funding, or through a 'mayoral precept' on residents council tax bills.

Andy Street, when he was mayor, declined the opportunity to add this precept to our council tax bills.

There probably is enough money to fund a £2 fare cap here, but then Mr Parker wouldn't have the money to fund his franchising dream.

[LD713821]

It's to do with 'funding streams'. Metro regions that are keeping the £2 cap will be paying for it out of their own funding, or through a 'mayoral precept' on residents council tax bills.

Andy Street, when he was mayor, declined the opportunity to add this precept to our council tax bills.

There probably is enough money to fund a £2 fare cap here, but then Mr Parker wouldn't have the money to fund his franchising dream.

What is also interesting is millions of TfWM money goes out of the WM 

-the christmas free bus travel funded all NX routes (including outside of nBus) so people of Leamington Spa, Bromsgrove & Cannock got benefits from money which is meant to be for us
-stagecoach leamington got their hands on loads of electric buses (yes obviously for the coventry bus project) but do they need loads of them as they only run a few routes in coventry, bustimes show there are loads on routes that dont or barely go into Coventry Zone

[Straightlines]

Richard Parker does not like NX.

Not sure what there is to like if I'm honest!

[Stu]

What is also interesting is millions of TfWM money goes out of the WM

-the christmas free bus travel funded all NX routes (including outside of nBus) so people of Leamington Spa, Bromsgrove & Cannock got benefits from money which is meant to be for us
-stagecoach leamington got their hands on loads of electric buses (yes obviously for the coventry bus project) but do they need loads of them as they only run a few routes in coventry, bustimes show there are loads on routes that dont or barely go into Coventry Zone

With regards to Stagecoach, they also received ZEBRA funding from Warwickshire County Council, not related to the Coventry electric bus city project. Also they would have been expected to make their own contribution financially, it's not like they've been given money 'for free'.

As long as all their buses that travel in and out of Coventry are electric, then any that are spare can be used elsewhere.

[Stu]

Not sure what there is to like if I'm honest!

You've been making your own anti-NX feelings known on this forum for some time.

[Straightlines]

You've been making your own anti-NX feelings known on this forum for some time.

Quite - You've been making your pro-NX feelings on this forum for some time. 

[Stu]

Unfortunately I can't see the replies as I binned off twitter when Musk wrecked it but I am sure our on-the-ball local media will hold his claims to account. Yeah, right.

No chance of that really, local journalists just simply parrot and repeat whatever press release they are given, and they dare not do their own investigations or at bare-minimum 'fact check' anything.

The simple fact is that the single fare on all bus services in the West Midlands is going to be £2.90 from next month, and not just those operated by NX Bus. 

Yet somehow NX Bus are being scapegoated by Parker and the local media, despite the fact that it is the current Labour government who have raised the fare cap to £3.

I try to avoid playing the 'party politics' game, but I can see what is going on and I don't like it one bit.

[Stu]

Quite - You've been making your pro-NX feelings on this forum for some time.

On the contrary, criticism is fair when it is justified, and I have criticised NX when I have felt it was warranted.

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

No chance of that really, local journalists just simply parrot and repeat whatever press release they are given, and they dare not do their own investigations or at bare-minimum 'fact check' anything.

The simple fact is that the single fare on all bus services in the West Midlands is going to be £2.90 from next month, and not just those operated by NX Bus.

Yet somehow NX Bus are being scapegoated by Parker and the local media, despite the fact that it is the current Labour government who have raised the fare cap to £3.

I try to avoid playing the 'party politics' game, but I can see what is going on and I don't like it one bit.

I think our biggest thing that needs sorting is the Trains, then the Metro it used to be every 7 or 8 minutes why is it now every 10 are they still down trams, do they Really need these new extensions if the current service is down from 2019, Buses are the saviours when those two things go wrong, Mr Parker and the Labour Party are really not popular, people voted for them as they probably didn't think the Lib Dems who in theory we should have all voted for would have ever got power and I ay gonna think about a Nigel Farage led country, and no one was going to vote Tory after what they did, sadly we are stuck with this now for 5 years, by the time assuming Labour don't win again the new government's and Mayor's come into power the countries Transport will be ruined, our franchising system will be a mess and have no doubt put up fares to cover silly costs, cut services, put everyone's Council tax bills up, meanwhile the reliability he promised is no where to be seen and Buses will actually be more unreliable, this is why I will be learning how to drive next year so I can avoid this mess, the only time I will use Buses, is someone asks me to do the shopping and I want to avoid car parking charges, or I go on a night out or coming back from the Football after a couple of pints, although that will only be weekends due to working in the week so maybe once a week I might use the bus to save walking back, that's if I don't get a lift 

[cardew]

It's to do with 'funding streams'. Metro regions that are keeping the £2 cap will be paying for it out of their own funding, or through a 'mayoral precept' on residents council tax bills.

Andy Street, when he was mayor, declined the opportunity to add this precept to our council tax bills.

There probably is enough money to fund a £2 fare cap here, but then Mr Parker wouldn't have the money to fund his franchising dream.

Thanks for that clear explanation

[suavegarv]

No chance of that really, local journalists just simply parrot and repeat whatever press release they are given, and they dare not do their own investigations or at bare-minimum 'fact check' anything.

The simple fact is that the single fare on all bus services in the West Midlands is going to be £2.90 from next month, and not just those operated by NX Bus.

Yet somehow NX Bus are being scapegoated by Parker and the local media, despite the fact that it is the current Labour government who have raised the fare cap to £3.

I try to avoid playing the 'party politics' game, but I can see what is going on and I don't like it one bit.

I added a comment on his post saying his anti NX Bus bias continues; NX Bus had a fare freeze for a while; all local operators charged £2.40 prior to the £2 cap and will be increasing their fares shortly.

[B7RLE]

Diamond are also raising to £2.90, just announced - it is NOT an NX thing quite clearly, but I doubt Parker will go after Diamond for it.