Alice Cunningham / BBC
Ipswich buses will modify its prices due to the increase in operating costs
Bus passengers criticized a company’s decision to set up prices because it has announced changes due to “increased operating costs”.
Dan Bassett, managing director of Ipswich Buses, said that the company “tried to maintain affordability and offer a value for money” as labor costs and taxes increased.
Among the changes compared to April 20 are the rise in unique travel prices and the abolition of return tickets, but a reduction in day ticket prices.
A bus user told the BBC “that he was going to arrive at the point where it is cheaper to obtain a taxi”, but some were also sympathetic because of the cost of living crisis.
Ipswich buses introduced increases and changes to tickets last year also following an exam.
This year, the company said it had analyzed the prices of local and national operators before making its decision.
Simple prices should go from £ 2.30 for an adult and £ 1.40 to £ 1.70 for those under 20. The national bus price ceiling of £ 2 for unique journeys was brought to £ 3 by the government in its October budget.
The return tickets are removed and replaced instead by a reduced day ticket, from £ 4.50 to 4.40 for an adult and from £ 3.30 for those under 20.
The company said that its application continued to offer a reduction in prices for family tickets and for those who wish to buy in bulk.
Other Comté bus operators have made similar changes.
The first bus, which operates through the county, introduced changes at the beginning of the year in response to the change in the price of the national bus prices.
The Hedingham & Chambers buses, which operate in a small part of the Suffolk as well as the Essex and which should be transformed later this year, also brought new prices.
‘Keep the return ticket’
Alice Cunningham / BBC
Darrell Dragon said he had no choice but to pay increased prices
Regular bus user Darrell Dragon, 45, estimated that the changes by the Ipswich buses were not correct.
“They should keep the return ticket. By all means, take it, but scratching it is just a joke,” he said.
“I can understand the increase in prices, but deleting a ticket is a joke and taking it as much as for the day ticket is ridiculous.
“It discourages me (using the buses), but unfortunately, I have no choice.
“It will happen to the point where it is cheaper to get a taxi than to get the bus.”
‘It was infringing me’
Alice Cunningham / BBC
Vakare Rimkute said that she felt that young people had trouble allowing themselves to travel
Vakare Rimkute, 19, of Leiston, regularly uses buses to go to Ipswich and said that despite small increases, they end up adding.
“You think that at the time, it is not so much, but when you add it at the end of the month, you think:” Oh, a piece of my money has disappeared, “she said.
“It’s been a difference, this little bit that you could save over a few weeks to buy a lunch or something more useful.”
Rimkute said that she understood the reasons for changes, but that wages often thought did not correspond to the cost of living.
Despite the changes, she said she should always use the service.
“It doesn’t discourage me-it bothers me and makes me think,” she added.
‘People just can’t afford it’
Alice Cunningham / BBC
Megan Clarke said the increase in prices would mean that she should choose and choose when she would move
Megan Clarke, 35, is another regular ipswich bus user and said the changes would force her to “choose” when she could go out or enjoy other things in her life.
“Sometimes it weighs the option, so I have to make sure I have money for the bus, but I can’t just use it with frivolus because I may need something for something else,” she said.
“For some of the buses, they really go regularly, they are clean and the staff are really helpful and friendly, it’s a good value for money.
“But when the buses are not as up to date, or when they are not clean or they are not as regular, it seems a little painful when you pay so much for that.
“I think we could lose bus services because people just can’t afford it.”
“ Tried to maintain the affordability ”
Alice Cunningham / BBC
Ipswich buses said the changes would come into effect from April 20
Mr. Bassett, of the bus company, said: “We understand that the cost of living continues to be difficult for many people, and although we had to make changes to our prices, in particular by increasing several prices, we have tried to maintain affordability and offer money for our customers.
“The deletion of return tickets and adult transfer tickets, replacing them with day tickets at reduced prices still simplify our price structure, which makes it easier to understand and buses easier to use.
“We will continue to offer bus prices” the day “which are the lowest and most value in the region, and some of the lowest and the best prices in the country.”
