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STATES OF JERSEY
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BUS SERVICE: RESCINDMENT OF DECISIONS RELATING TO CONCESSIONARY FARES AND ADULT FARES AFTER 8.00 P.M. (P.150/2004) – COMMENTS
Presented to the States on 12th October 2004
by the Environment and Public Services Committee
STATES GREFFE
COMMENTS
The Committee rejects Deputy Le Hérissier's amendment and stands by its original decision.
The proposal for senior citizens to pay full fare during peak times was not put forward to create hardship for those people – the bus service needs to be able to provide optimum capacity at peak times and maintaining free travel for some passengers is not sustainable. The Committee has recognised that some trips are essential and has put in place a provision for free travel for hospital appointments. The Senior Citizen's Association was not against these proposals – they suggested a later starting time for the evening peak, and the Committee accepted this.
Following the introduction of changes, the Committee reviewed the loadings for the first week's operation and concluded that the impact on the evening period was not affecting commuters. The Committee therefore decided to reinstate free travel for senior citizens and HIE cardholders during the period of 5 – 6.00 pm. These changes were implemented on Monday 11th October 2004.
The £2 flat fare was implemented in recognition of the fact that these services are expensive to run. Concessionary pass holders and children are exempt from this flat fare. The fare is still competitive against alternative means of transport and is a first step to simplifying the fare structure in the future.
The Committee has intentionally taken an incremental approach to changes in the bus service following the public reaction to the major developments proposed at the end of last year. In July, a revised approach was put forward to the previous Committee which proposed major network developments and a simplified fare structure to be delivered over 12 months of step-change. The impending Committee of Inquiry has inevitably slowed this progress but the new Committee is committed to providing an efficient and effective public bus service balanced against the cost to the taxpayer. The States have agreed a Bus Strategy and it does not require updating. The new Committee requires the support of the States to complete the job.