The changes, which include the introduction of new ‘tap on, tap off’ technology, cap charges at £6 per day. Bus users are instead charged by the mile starting at £1.60 for a single journey and £2.88 return. This increases incrementally by the mile up to £3 for single journeys of 5 miles or over and £5.40 return.
When using tap on tap off, the maximum amount you’ll be charged per day is also reduced to £3 for those travelling for the 3rd, 4th or 5th day in a week, and £1.25 for the 6th and 7th day.
For those wanting to pay cash, return fares are fixed at £5.40 no matter the distance.
Controversially, the popular day tickets have been increased to £6, however First Cymru point towards using ‘tap on tap off’ with a debit or credit card as a cheaper alternative.
Fare zones have been scrapped as part of the changes which kick in from 31 March.
Bus users have reacted negatively towards the day ticket increases on social media.
Commenting on the increase, Roberta Stoke said: “£6 all day ticket, are you mad? The service is shocking anyway and they’ve cut down lots anyway. So many of the drivers are rude as hell and drive before people have had the chance to sit down, including elderly, disabled and parents with young children. Absolute disgrace of a company.”
Estee Elora said: “You can travel all the way across London for £1.75. I nearly died when I I tried to take a bus in Swansea. Quickly realised it was cheaper to drive, which is insanity!”
Meanwhile Sonia Jones said: “I pay £4.20 for the whole day on my app. How can £5.40 for a return be of any benefit for me. And £6 for a day ticket!! Where is the value for money First Cymru Please explain!!”
Jessica Hoad added: “Absolutely shameful. I’m trying to get to work now and bus so overcrowded many people including mothers with babies stranded at stops. Those making these decisions should try using solely buses for six months across the city and beyond and see how they get on. How can you be providing a worsening service and charge more?”
A spokesperson for First Cymru said: “This is the first time we have overhauled our fares in Cymru in five years, during which time we have faced some tough challenges, not least a rise in inflation and costs. The overhaul has been a chance for us to scrap our over-complicated fares system to make way for a simpler one so all customers know what they’re paying regardless of where they are travelling. A change of this scale, from a complicated system with many different fares to a streamlined one, will inevitably result in some fare increases, but our data on how people use their tickets shows that more people can gain from the new system.
“By introducing Tap On, Tap Off technology on all services, where customers simply tap their card or smart phone on a reader when they get on and off the bus, we’re providing the most cost-effective way for customers to travel as you’re only charged for the number of journeys you make and the distance travelled. This is particularly important for the nearly three quarters of customers who buy a day ticket, yet only make one or two journeys. For these customers, switching from a £4.20 day ticket to paying for single and return journeys from as little as £1.60 and £2.88 through Tap On, Tap Off will provide the best value. In addition, switching to the new system instead of buying tickets from the driver will speed up boarding and helps us provide faster and more punctual journeys for all our customers.”
Bus users have also been complaining of bus overcrowding, lack of punctuality and the recent reduction in frequency of services, particularly the cross-city service 4 from Morriston Hospital to Singleton Hospital, the service 12 and 13 to Townhill and Mayhill and the X13 inter-urban service from Swansea to Ammanford.
Sonia Jones said: “I depend on the buses and the X13 from Llandeilo/Ammanford to Swansea is an awful service since they have cut the buses down to 1 an hour!!!
“We have a bus service that is absolutely ridiculous, always packed, and to top it off we have gone from the clipper cymru buses as that service is a clipper bus service, to now stupid smaller buses that can’t fit hardly anyone in on service that runs over 2 counties!!! Please put our old clipper cymru buses back on the service, you owe us that since you have taken away the bus!!!!!”
Gillian Watters said: “The no 4 Morriston hospital is an appalling service, school children and hospital workers late in the morning, my granddaughter has had 9 late mark’s in the last month because the bus has not turned up. We catch it at stadium to Cwmrhydyceirw, yesterday out of school 3pm bus turned up 4.10 pm to come home.”
Responding to the criticism of it’s services, the spokesperson for First Cymru added: “While services 4 and 12 are being reviewed as part of some changes in Swansea, which we’re announcing in the coming weeks, we have made changes to the timetable for the service X13 to improve punctuality.”
(Lead image: First Cymru)
I take my daughter, every saturday to crosshands… normally costs me £5.40 return for the both of us. Yesterday I was charged £8.80!!! Absolutely absurd!! Sort it out please.