Strike Action

[Trident 4194]

16.2% rise is insane. Look forward to seeing fares increase and the number of fare dodgers rise rapidly 

[Coventrybususer95]

16.2% rise is insane. Look forward to seeing fares increase and the number of fare dodgers rise rapidly

I can see tickets going up by about £2-3 in September if they accept

[ellspurs]

They'll have to speak to Mr Andy Street to raise the fares as they've agreed to freeze them until 2025.

https://www.itv.com/news/central/2021-07-15/west-midlands-bus-prices-to-be-among-lowest-fares-in-the-country

[Jack6101]

Can't the run a Sunday service from tommorow till Monday ? Help get midlands running 

[dw1308]

Can't the run a Sunday service from tommorow till Monday ? Help get midlands running

With what drivers? I mean I'm still doing garage training so not allowed to go out into service but given half a chance I would be out in service

[Coventrybususer95]

They'll have to speak to Mr Andy Street to raise the fares as they've agreed to freeze them until 2025.

https://www.itv.com/news/central/2021-07-15/west-midlands-bus-prices-to-be-among-lowest-fares-in-the-country

If andy street says no could we be seeing the beginning of the end for national express bus

[j789]

I can see tickets going up by about £2-3 in September if they accept

I cannot see a short hop fare costing £3.50 or a day ticket £7 anytime soon!!!

The 16.2% rise equates to about £2.20 an hour per average driver (plus extra company NI contributions so say £2.70 cost per hour to the company). Therefore, the routes operated by the drivers will need to make that extra amount per hour to keep the status quo as now.

£2.70 is about 3 passengers an hour extra per bus they would need to cover this increase - it doesn't need massive fare increases to cover the shortfall. With ridership still down 15-20% compared to pre-COVID times, there can be reasonable hope that those extra passengers can be found by those 15-20% returning to bus travel (obviously providing there is a reliable service).

Obviously the more low margin routes may be more challenging to cover this required increase but hopefully the government will continue necessary funding for operators so that passenger increases in future years can then cover this.

[Rachvince53]

Service cuts and PVR reductions to follow 70 days from Monday then ?

Yes...back to normal!

[karl724223]

If we go back to work what will you all have to moan and whing at next 
Oh and the bullshit  

[Stu]

They'll have to speak to Mr Andy Street to raise the fares as they've agreed to freeze them until 2025.

https://www.itv.com/news/central/2021-07-15/west-midlands-bus-prices-to-be-among-lowest-fares-in-the-country

Something will have to give.

Everything else has been going up in price in line with inflation, yet TfWM "expect" bus fares to stay the same until 2025.

It's just not "sustainable", to quote an oft-used expression.

It costs more to run a bus service now than it did a year ago, yet bus operators are expected to keep their businesses viable with the same number of passengers paying the same prices as last year.

Government subsidies will only go so far and for so long, it is inevitable that bus fare/pass prices will have to increase soon, otherwise we will see further service reductions or withdrawals.

The Unite union throughout this strike action have painted this image via the media that NX Bus is an "extremely wealthy company" that is "raking in millions of pounds of profit" when that is materially untrue.

NX Bus are in just as much of a precarious situation as Diamond Bus are.

[PB50]

I've just read a comment elsewhere from a female bus driver who reckons the majority will say yes to this offer but if the terms and conditions are not implemented in July like they promise then they will strike again.

[Ginger66]

Something will have to give.

Everything else has been going up in price in line with inflation, yet TfWM "expect" bus fares to stay the same until 2025.

It's just not "sustainable", to quote an oft-used expression.

It costs more to run a bus service now than it did a year ago, yet bus operators are expected to keep their businesses viable with the same number of passengers paying the same prices as last year.

Government subsidies will only go so far and for so long, it is inevitable that bus fare/pass prices will have to increase soon, otherwise we will see further service reductions or withdrawals.

The Unite union throughout this strike action have painted this image via the media that NX Bus is an "extremely wealthy company" that is "raking in millions of pounds of profit" when that is materially untrue.

NX Bus are in just as much of a precarious situation as Diamond Bus are.

It's the same for Arriva group who are losing money. The unions see corporate figures but they don't look at the individual subisdry figures ie Midland Fox. 

[Trident 4194]

Nx writing off any chance of winning tenders then. Dangerous waters given the current situation 

[Tony]

Nx writing off any chance of winning tenders then. Dangerous waters given the current situation

So how did the just win the new 144 then?

[Stu]

I've just read a comment elsewhere from a female bus driver who reckons the majority will say yes to this offer but if the terms and conditions are not implemented in July like they promise then they will strike again.

That sounds perfectly fair and reasonable to me.