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FARE increases up to per cent for Greater Manster PTE were granted by Traffic Commissioners 1' a five-hour session.
be undertaking's applicak last week was opposed by objectors, including six il authorities. The increases 1 boost revenue by 29 per t or £8.5m in the period next March; they come into ce today (August 1).
le 4p fares go up to 5p, up to 10p, 10p up to 15p, ) up to 20p, 18p up to 25p I 25p up to 30p or 35p. eap weekday off-peak fares I cease.
rhe Commissioners also .eed to the PTE's proposals double the concessionary .es for the elderly and child ren from 2p to 4p. However, they imposed limitations. The Commissioners agreed to the increases for a period of three months on the understanding that during this period, the PTE will be expected to "assess fully the reaction of farepaying passengers" before considering the consequences of reverting to the 2p fare, or introducing 2p for off-peak and 4p peak-hour travel.
Today's increases are the third in less than a year for GMT's bus passengers. Fares went up by 6* per cent last September, and 20 per cent in February this year.
Since then, however, greatly increased costs have added nearly £1.4m to the cost of operation, says the under taking. Even now the new massive increases may still not be enough to prevent a further fares rise before the end of this year, and the sheer size of the increases could well spark off another spate of applications from other undertakings who financially are in no better position than GMT.
Cheap travel shock
In its search for economies the undertaking also plans to make the general public meet the cost of cheap bus fares for 20,000 disabled people in its area. From next April the county's 10 district councils are to be asked to subsidise disabled persons' travel permits to the extent of £40 per head.