ARRIVA FARE INCREASES
(or 'Revised Fares' as they insist on saying!)

Steve Bond, of Melbourne, works in Sheffield and often attends meetings in other parts of the country. He used to catch a bus from his home to Derby and then catch a train for the rest of his journey. Because his working days and destinations varied, he used to pay £16 for a multi-saver ticket for 12 journeys. Recently this option was scrapped and it now costs him £1.90 per single ticket or £3.35 for a return which adds up to £4 more a week. This means that his yearly travel costs from Melbourne to Derby have increased by £200 to £1,000.

When he complained to Arriva, he was told it was due to a 'ticket restructuring' and not a fare increase. Mr Bond said, "When a fare costs more than it did the day before, it's an increase. No doubt the excuses are ways of avoiding fare increases so that publicised rises can appear moderate." Mr Bond said his train journeys work out more expensive than driving which is now his only option. He said, "So thats me back on the roads and antisocially ignoring the environmental benefits offered by public transport."

Keith Myatt from Arriva, said:

"The multi-saver 12-trip tickets are no longer available. Instead, we introduced 10-trip tickets which give 10 single journeys within Derby city for £10. For areas outside Derby, customers can buy seven consecutive days' travel for £15. We have rationalised our tickets and simplified the system. Customers found the different types of tickets confusing, so we have reduced the number of options."

Yes, Mr Myatt, and increased the fares.

In a further attempt to drive more passengers away from public transport, Arriva revealed that some fares in Derby will rise by 5p for adult singles and 10p for adult returns despite making price increases only nine months earlier. They state that the increases will apply to current single fares of 55p, 70p, 85p, £1, and £1.10 and return fares of £1, £1.30, £1.60 and £1.90. The company said the increases had been made to cover costs such as fuel, spares, an increase in National Insurance contributions and pensions. But it was only in August 2002 that Arriva last put up its prices for travel in Derby, increasing single and return fares by the same amounts of 5p and 10p respectively.

Back then, Arriva cited rising costs, including drivers' wages, fuel and insurance as the reasons for the increase. It means that in the space of nine months, some fares will have gone up by between 10 and 16%. Since before the August increase, three of the single fares have risen by 10p - a 65p single will now be 75p, a 95p single now £1.05 and a £1.05 single now £1.15. And one of the return fares has seen a rise of 20p. Before August, passengers could buy a £1.20 ticket - from June this will now cost £1.40.

Arriva spokesman Keith Myatt said, "Unfortunately, some fares will increase. We have to think about the sustainability and commercial aspect of the business. We will reinvest any increases into providing new and improved buses and equipment for the business." In June 2002, Arriva admitted that its bus fleet, which had an average age of 10 years, fell well short of a Government target that fleets should have an average age of no more than eight years by 2010. Also that year, Arriva was criticised for axing of some of its routes.

In August - the same month as the last increase, Arriva cancelled four bus services in Derby because it claimed that they were losing money. They were the twice-daily number 35 service to Willson Avenue, Littleover; the hourly daytime number 50 to Mackworth; the number 65, which ran four times a day to Ridgeway, Chellaston and the number 90, which served industrial estates. Coach services taking supporters from Alvaston, Chellaston, Sinfin, Oakwood and Ivy Square to Pride Park for Derby County matches were also scrapped.

In January 2004, Arriva increased fares on some of its routes for the third time in 18 months and passengers complained that the company had failed to inform them properly. Spokesman, Keith Myatt, said, "We have simplified our pricing structures to make it easier for passengers. The changes in fares reflect the need to meet increasing costs and be in a position to re-invest in our buses, purchase new equipment and vehicles for the benefit of the travelling public."

He added, "We displayed A4 posters on our buses at least 10 days before the increase came into effect, and also displayed laminated posters at Derby bus station." True, but the posters only listed Daily and Weekly Localzone tickets and made no mention of single fare price increases.

Arriva has announced that most single fares on its services will increase by between 10p and 20p. It blames increased energy, insurance and staff costs. Popular routes that will see an increase of nearly 8% from £1.30 to £1.40 include Chellaston to Boulton Lane and Ascot Drive to the railway station. Services to the city centre from Sussex Circus, Kingsway Bridge and North Street, in Littleover, will be increased by 15%, from £1.30 to £1.50. Return fares on these routes will increase by similar percentages.

However, regular bus users, who buy multi-use day, weekly or monthly passes, will not be affected by the increase because prices on those tickets have been frozen by the company. This is the third increase for single fares in less than two years. Arriva spokesman Keith Myatt said, "We have tried hard to keep fare increases to a minimum. However, we have reached the point where it is inevitable that we must pass on some of the additional costs to customers in order that the services remain sustainable. We need to cover increasing operating costs in order to allow for future development of services."

Phil Tonks, operations manager in the Midlands for the national group Bus Users UK, said, "I should imagine there will be people who aren't happy about it. These increases will affect occasional users who don't buy the day or weekly tickets. However, one of the first things new and occasional bus passengers will look at will be prices. Seeing an increase could put them off public transport and encourage them back to their cars." (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Jul/07)

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