National Survey Sees Stagecoach Holdings as Cheapest UK Bus Operator

Perth giant singled as UK’s cheapest bus company.

Weeks after an independent survey singled out Stagecoach Manchester as the cheapest Mancunian operator, a national survey further confirmed these findings. TAS, a transport consultancy based in Preston, Lancashire, stated that Stagecoach passengers paid on average 17.5% less for their weekly tickets compared with their competitors.

In its National Fares Survey for 2011, it stated that Stagecoach Holdings’ buses had:

• Six out of seven of the lowest single fares in the sample;
• Half of the 12 lowest day ticket prices;
• Seven out of 11 of the lowest weekly ticket prices;
• The lowest average urban and non-urban single fares of the other major UK bus groups -  Arriva, First, Go Ahead and National Express – and also lower than Veolia Transdev;
• Lower than inflation fare increases over the last two years.

TAS also carried out more detailed analysis of a sample of fares in its main report. It looked at bus fares charged by Stagecoach, Arriva, FirstGroup, Go-Ahead, Veolia Transdev UK, and municipal bus companies on journey lengths of 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 miles.

It found that Stagecoach has the lowest average fare of any of the main major operators (Arriva, FirstGroup and Go-Ahead) on nearly all journey lengths. This includes journeys of 5 miles, which the Department for Transport’s most recent National Travel Survey found is the average local bus journey distance.

The TAS report adds that “Stagecoach consistently has the lowest weekly ticket price and gives the highest discount compared to single fares” over two miles.

This was not the first time the Perthshire transport giant were singled out for its low bus fares. Previous surveys in 1997 and 2009 noted a similar trend. Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Sir Brian Souter said: “This independent survey proves what our own regular passengers have known for a long time – Stagecoach is Britain’s best value bus operator.

“At a time when sky-high motoring costs and rising household bills are squeezing living standards for many families across Britain, it makes more sense than ever to switch to the bus. We are leading the way in providing good-value, high-quality travel and making sure the bus is an affordable transport option, particularly for people who are less well off.”

In Greater Manchester, there is a real north-south divide between operators in terms of day ticket, single fare and season ticket prices. Passengers in Harpurhey and Oldham pay 36.1% more for their single operator ticket compared with their southerly counterparts in Didsbury and Stockport. However, the former operator’s ticket covers a wider area than the latter, so the differential would more towards 18%.

In terms of single fares, Stagecoach Manchester’s northerly rival has a higher top single fare rate, one and a half times as much as Stagecoach’s £2.80 top rate. Though its northerly rival has a higher priced day saver ticket than the £3.70 Stagecoach charges, the rival’s ticket has a much bigger footprint, with Warrington and West Yorkshire covered.

S.V, 25 January 2011.
(A Happy Burn’s Night to you all)

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