Error led to 150 per cent bus fare increase for some Redditch youngsters (From Redditch Advertiser)

Error led to 150 per cent bus fare increase for some Redditch youngsters

1:30pm Tuesday 5th March 2013 in News

DIAMOND Bus company has apologised for an error which led to some school children being faced with a 150 per cent increase on their normal fare.

The company recently took over many services from First Bus, but assured people on its website that the “current fares offered by First will not increase”.

But when Hunt End youngsters tried to pay their 60p fare to get to Ridgeway Middle School on Monday, they were told it had increased to £1.50.

One mum, who did not want to be named, was waiting with her young daughter until she got on the S77 service. She said: “Despite assurances on Diamond’s website that fares wouldn’t increase, this bus driver told children their 60p fare had shot up to £1.50 - 150 per cent increase.

“Thankfully I spoke to the bus driver and he agreed to let them on for their normal fare.

“It simply isn’t cost-effective for most of us to send our children to school by bus now, we may as well all just get in our cars and drive them.”

A Diamon spokesman said: “As we took over from First on Sunday, we were unable to access vehicles to advertise the change to us as an operator, which has caused a few small issues.

“The information provided to us, prior to our takeover, about fares and faretables was wrong. Therefore we added in the faretables as given and these have proved incorrect. I can only apologise for the issues this has caused. However, it only seems to have caused isolated incidents as our drivers have been fantastic in helping passengers and providing a grace period for passes and tickets.

“We have updated the ticket machines so prices are now correct. There has been no price increase and there will not be on the S75, S77 and S93, that are in question here, for the remainder of the academic year.”

He added that 50 per cent of all child fares taken on Red Nose Day, March 15, wiill be donated to Comic Relief.

For more details, see diamondbuses.com or call 0121 322 2222.