Ayrshire bus operator Stagecoach West Scotland has this afternoon announced a whopping 15 per cent hike in all fares.
The average fare increase will come into force on Sunday, April 2 and ALL SERVICES in Ayrshire will be affected.
Fiona Doherty, managing director of Stagecoach West Scotland, said they know the hike in fares will “not be welcome” by hard-pressed passengers who rely on their services.
But the increases are ‘necessary’ in order for Stagecoach West Scotland to keep investing in their staff, their fleet and their customers.
She said: “With operating costs continuing to rise, we will be making changes to our fares from 2nd April to prioritise investment in our people, our fleet and our customers.
“We understand the cost-of-living pressures our customers face, and we realise that fare increases are not welcome.
"However, we strongly believe our fares still represent good value for money.”
The firm also goes on to say they have encountered “several challenges” including the global Covid-19 pandemic, industry-wide recruitment shortages, and rising costs.
The cost-of-living crisis has “impacted businesses,” they state, and there have been “significant increases” to its three largest costs – wages, fuel, and engineering parts.
Their statement today also says: “With bus passenger numbers still needing to return to the pre-pandemic level, it is vital that as commercial bus operators, Stagecoach make decisions that will future-proof the viability of its network for our customers and colleagues.
“The emergency funding provided by the Scottish Government to ensure a level of bus service for people to access local amenities, which would not have been commercially sustainable, has been reduced over the past 12 months and from 31st March 2023 will be withdrawn altogether.
“As a result of this change, from Sunday 2nd April 2023, all fares will increase by an average of 15 per cent across all bus services operated by Stagecoach West Scotland.”
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