Crazy pricing from First for bus/ train services and a Scrooge sting in the tail

chuffed

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Crazy pricing from First for bus/ train services and a Scrooge sting in the tail

« on: December 14, 2012, 19:39:56 »

Peak time single on 358 Portishead to Bristol bus at 0720...^5.30 for 10 miles....

Off peak day return with railcard on train Temple Meads to Gloucester ^5.40 ....best part of 80 miles....

First are running Saturday bus service timetables in the old Avon area on Wednesday Thursday and Fridays Dec 27th,28th.29th and Jan 2nd, 3rd and 4th

Surely that means Saturday terms and conditions ...free off peak travel for concessionary card holders all day...oh no , First really do 'take the biscuit' in this matter....no concessionary travel before 9am still applies. A bit rich (yes i spotted the tea joke!) for First to run a reduced Saturday service and yet insist Monday to Frday condituons still apply !

FirstScrooge are alive, well and kicking.....


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old original

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Re: Crazy pricing from First for bus/ train services and a Scrooge sting in the tail

« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2012, 20:01:34 »

I suspect it's the local authority which specifies when the concessionary bus fares apply, irrelevent of what level of service is provided.


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devon_metro

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Re: Crazy pricing from First for bus/ train services and a Scrooge sting in the tail

« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2012, 20:34:15 »

Imagine it might have something to do with how the ticket machines are programmed too?


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JayMac

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Re: Crazy pricing from First for bus/ train services and a Scrooge sting in the tail

« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2012, 21:54:23 »

I think old original has hit the nail on the head. I don't think it's FirstBus 'taking the biscuit'. If the local authority is not funding concessionary travel on these dates (they are only obliged to fund between 0930-2300 Mon-Fri and all day Sat/Sun/Bank Holidays) then I perfectly understand the operator not accepting concessionary passes outside these times.

The running of a different timetable bears no relevance to the acceptance of concessionary passes. On services 357/358/359 a Saturday service means 40 round trips instead of 43. Very little difference.


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Chris from Nailsea

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Re: Crazy pricing from First for bus/ train services and a Scrooge sting in the tail

« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2012, 03:50:40 »

Any concerns over public transport bus services funded by North Somerset Council can be addressed to them at http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/Contacts/contact-publictransport.htm Lips sealed


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thetrout

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Re: Crazy pricing from First for bus/ train services and a Scrooge sting in the tail

« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2012, 22:50:01 »

The ticket machines have recently had their firmware updated to iron out the teething issues. Unfortunately this has caused all kinds of hell. In particular to Concessionary Pass Holders as the machine no longer accepts the cards. Now the drivers have reverted to: *See Concessionary Pass, Print Zero Fare Concessionary Ticket*

Also some machines now have a tendancy to go on strike. Leaving the driver with no option to run a "Free Bus" which I have personally witnessed on at least 5 seperate occasions, But I'll discount 2 as it was the same bus Roll Eyes


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