Lib Dems win exploration of 'Hopper' bus fares

Councillor Ed Thornley wins backing from every party to explore 'hopper fares' for two journeys or more.

Speaking in the Chamber, Councillor Thornley said "The scheme could ensure that those now having to get two buses rather than one are not detrimentally affected by the ever-shifting nature of a bus service under strain. Passenger numbers have not returned to pre-pandemic levels, Scottish Government support is gone and driver recruitment is hard, retention is even harder. Lothian Buses is not immune to these changes.

“My own ward, Drum Brae/Gyle, seems to be taking hit after hit when it comes to service changes of late; the withdrawal of the 300, moving of the 41, the reduction and now moving of the 12.”

The full text of Councillr Thornley's motion as follows:

“Council;

1)             notes the recent changes made by Lothian Buses to its route network in response to current passenger numbers and wider challenges in the bus services market.

2)         recognises how these changes have resulted in many passengers losing direct services and mean they must now take two services to get to and from their destination, increasing costs and potentially discouraging the use of using public transport in Edinburgh.

3)         notes the findings of the Poverty Commission which identified the costs of public transport being a barrier to people accessing work and education.

4)         notes the ticketing schemes in place in some other UK cities, such as London’s ‘hopper fare’, whereby passengers can use any service within one hour for the price of a single fare.

5)         believes a similar scheme in Edinburgh is worthy of consideration and would ensure those passengers who need to get two buses rather than one are not unfairly penalised.

6)         therefore agrees that the Transport & Environment Convener should write to Lothian Buses to ask it to consider a similar ‘one hour’ scheme and for the response to be provided to all councillors.”