The Environment & Infrastructure Committee and new bus operator, Stagecoach South West are looking for feedback on its new bus fare proposals and route changes, which includes the biggest changes seen for some time. This includes views on its decision to cancel three bus routes – the P2 Parish Link, 60 and 94 services – and several other changes.
BUG has made its response. Coordinator Fergus Dunlop said the group was largely in favour of the proposals, except one.
‘The only area where we feel the proposals are a bit unreasonable is the increase in the Puffin Pass price,’ he said.
‘The people who use the Puffin Pass are the commuters, who really care about the price, and who use it quite a lot. We think a small rise is OK, and understand the need for it. But they could protect the discount level.
‘When they first introduced the pass, I think it offered a 40% discount between the standard fare and the pass. The proposal would take it down to more like a 25% discount. If they could keep it to more of a 30% discount that would be more of an incentive, which is our objective. We want to double the amount of people on the buses.’
The Pay as you Go top-up Puffin Pass is proposed to increase by 10p, which would bring the cost of a journey up to £1.25.
Mr Dunlop said the other proposals were reasonable and welcomed by the group. The £5 cost of a night bus fare has not increased, and all four night bus routes which operate on Friday and Saturday nights between 9.30 and 1am will be extended, if the plans are approved.
‘The other thing which is good is that they have kept the single transferable ticket,’ he added.
‘Trying to get to the airport from the west under the new system will be harder, because the 71 wouldn’t go there any more. So it’s very good that they are retaining the transferable ticket, and people won’t have to buy two tickets.’
E&I said that the changes had been designed to be delivered at no net additional cost, so increasing and improving services in one area would require adjustments elsewhere.
‘These proposals are about improving Guernsey’s bus offering as a whole based on detailed passenger and timing data from Stagecoach,’ said a spokesman.
All the proposed changes can be viewed at gov.gg/bustimetable. Feedback is invited on the changes before Sunday 8 February in writing to passengertransport@gov.gg.
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