Bus fares increase and services cut in York from this week due to “changing habits and inflation”

Since the pandemic, fewer people have been riding the bus, according to Kayleigh Ingham, commercial director of First Bus for North and West Yorkshire.

Consequently, an adult single has gone from £1.20 to £2 when purchased with cash or contactless, or £1.40 with ‘tap on tap off.’

While returns were as little as £2.20, they will now be £4, and the FirstNight £3 tickets will no longer be available.

“These fare changes reflect the customer travel and buying habits we’re now seeing since the pandemic,” said Ms Ingham.

“Our business is not immune from the impact of inflation and rising business costs.”

Services in York will also be reprieved, which includes the following:

• Number 1 – Chapelfields to city centre early morning Saturday services, Wigginton to city centre early morning weekday and weekend services, and weekend late evening services.
• Number 2A – Weekday and Sunday late evening services to Rawcliffe.
• Number 4 – Weekday morning services to and from Acomb before 6.30am and the 11pm weekday service from the city centre to Acomb.
• Number 10 – All weekday evening services to and from Poppleton and Dunnington after 6.30pm, weekday early morning services from Poppleton and Dunnington.
• Number 11 – Evening service which connects Stonebow with Ashley Park via Heworth – there will be no weekday or Saturday services after 7.30pm.

However, council officers allocated £36,400 to keep the services running for three months, which will be active as long as the decision is approved by the Enhanced Partnership Operational Delivery Group.

Otherwise the services will be permanently cancelled.

Meanwhile Liberal Democrat councillors are calling for the reallocation of around £250,000 of bus service improvement funding.

Commenting on the loss of the number 11 evening bus service, Liberal Democrat group leader coun Nigel Ayre said: “This is a severe blow for many residents who rely on this service.

“It’s very disappointing that whilst services in other parts of the city have been reprieved, residents in Heworth and Heworth Without have been treated differently and their service axed without warning.”

Coun Stephen Fenton said: “The services under threat are vital for the many residents who rely on them to get to and from school, college and work and also to meet up with friends in the city centre.

“Not everyone has access to a car, and for those that do, the last thing we should be doing is forcing more private vehicles onto already congested roads. The proposed three-month reprieve is welcome news, but what is needed is government action to provide long-term certainty for bus operators and for passengers.”