Eastern 's season tickets fail to attract users
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• Car users are not attracted to using buses regularly by unlimited travel season tickets. This is one of the main conclusions of a report, published this week, by Cranfield Institute of Technology's centre for transport studies. The centre had examined a scheme being operated by the Eastern Counties Omnibus Co Ltd in Peterborough.
The centre also found that: ticket sales were considerably lower than predicted; regular bus users with seasons travelled more than previously; a few people paid more than before to obtain a ticket; the average season ticket user saved about £1 a month of a £2—£3 outlay. A number of guidelines for operators in small towns were laid down by the centre on the basis of its experiences in Peterborough. It suggests that season ticket prices should be based on regular journeys because of the wide variations in expenditure on regular bus seasons.
Unlimited off-peak bus travel cost operators little but could prove attractive to some season ticket holders. It was important to make season tickets easy to obtain and standing order or payas-you-earn facilities should be available. A substantial discount was necessary on long-term tickets.