Passengers facing rise in bus fares

Bus passengers are set to see fares rise at the end of the month.
A Blackpool Transport bus in serviceA Blackpool Transport bus in service
A Blackpool Transport bus in service

Blackpool Transport is increasing the prices of its tickets by an average of three per cent from May 28, although some fares will stay the same price.

The company, which is wholly owned by Blackpool Council, has blamed inflation and a rise in the cost of fuel for the decision.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Single tickets will rise by 10p, ranging from £1.30 to £2.70 on the buses, compared to £1.20 to £2.60 previously.

Managing director of Blackpool Transport Jane ColeManaging director of Blackpool Transport Jane Cole
Managing director of Blackpool Transport Jane Cole

Meanwhile on the trams, the cost of a single fare will range from £1.70 to £2.70 in future, compared to £1.60 to £2.60 at present.

Child single fares will increase from £1 to £1.10 on both buses and trams.

The biggest increase will be in the cost of an adult monthly ticket, from £50 to £55.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However all fares sold via the recently introduced mobile app will remain unchanged, and some other fares such as 24-hour tickets are not changing.

Managing director of Blackpool Transport Jane ColeManaging director of Blackpool Transport Jane Cole
Managing director of Blackpool Transport Jane Cole

The app has been launched to make bus and tram travel easier.

Jane Cole, managing director at Blackpool Transport, said: “Unfortunately due to inflation, increased operating costs and an increase of up to 15 per cent in fuel costs, it has been necessary for us to implement an increase in some of our fares.

“These increases have been kept to an absolute minimum and where we have been able to hold the price of fares we have done so.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“All saver ticket prices on our recently launched mobile app will remain unchanged, making this the most convenient and cost effective way to travel around Blackpool and the Fylde Coast.”

It is three years since monthly tickets increased in price, and the last increase in any saver ticket price was June 2015.

Blackpool Transport is set to spend £7.7m over the coming two years on a fleet of 35 new buses – with bosses looking to replace their entire fleet by 2019.

It is hoped there will be no bus in Blackpool older than five years by 2020, with 54 buses out of a fleet of 140 now finished in the high grade Palladium specification.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In April 25 new Palladium buses were unveiled on the Comedy Carpet.

The tramway is also seeing investment with a proposed extension of the line to North Station, and two new trams due to join the fleet. Passenger numbers on the trams exceeded the five million mark for the past 12 months.