It's all change on the buses as fares rise

TfGM Yellow School Bus

TRANSPORT bosses have approved plans to axe, reduce and alter several bus routes across the city.

School bus passes, young person's concessionary travel passes and services for residents who are unable to use regular forms of public transport are among those set to be altered.

Changes will affect passengers in Oldham, Rochdale, Bury and other boroughs of Greater Manchester.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) will increase weekly school passes by 50p, rising to £7, which will save the public body £78,000 per year.

Other changes include cutting Manchester's Metroshuttle budget by £300,000 next year, doubling the cost of Igo passes - for 16s and under - and introducing £10 charges for both disabled passengers who lose their concession cards as well as for purchasing a Yellow School Bus pass.

Corporate and financial services director at TfGM Steve Warrener said: "We continuously review the services we pay for to make sure they provide the best service for customers, value for the public purse, and are delivered in the most cost effective way"

TfGM re-iterated that there have been no fare increases on these services in six years but said "due to cost increases" they now need to introduce them.

The cost of Igo passes will be increased from £5 to £10, which TfGM said will help them to recover the cost of administering the scheme.

The city's Local Link - a minibus service to help those who cannot access public transport - will also experience a 10 per cent rise in fares, creating a saving of £20,000 per year. Details about the new Local Link fare structure are due to be made available when changes are introduced later this year.

Regarding school bus passes, Mr Warrener said a £10 charge for a new or replacement pass would come in from the start of the 2017-18 academic year. This is also hoped to cover the costs of administering the pass system, which have increased since the scheme launched in 2002/03.

The decisions follow a public consultation on services which culminated with a TfGM committee meeting on March 16.

In 2017/18 the Transport Levy given to TfGM by the Combined Authority will be cut by £6.67million. However the difference will be made up using Metrolink reserves, keeping their funding at the same level.

Further changes affecting 20 bus services made by operators Stagecoach, First and Arriva will come into effect from April 23.

"Minor changes" will be made to First's 350 service between Oldham and Ashton Under Lyne involving reduced early morning journeys from Ashton. There will also be alterations to the 95, 468, 471, 511 and 524 services. New buses are set to be introduced in Middleton, including additional buses on the 250 and X50 routes. An extra bus will also be added to route 58, serving Rochdale, Oldham and Middleton.