Ticketing and Concessionary Travel on Public Transport - United ...

Transport Committee: Evidence Ev 107
Journey Bus Time Train Time BT/TT Bus Changes Notes
To Bere Alston 87/97 24 3.83 1 or 2 A, B, C, D
From Bere Ferres none 19 N/A N/A C, E
From Bere Ferres 109 19 5.73 2 B, C, E
To Bere Ferres 96 18 5.33 1 C, D, F, G
Notes
A. Max/Min Bus Times from diVerent options oVered by <strong>Travel</strong>ine
B. Where Bus Changes more than 1, the 2nd or 3rd changes may save a little time but are unlikely to be
made by passengers. All bus journeys have at least one change in Tavistock or Callington
C. All trains are direct, no changes
D. Some return journey times by bus depend on 5 minute change at Tavistock or Callington, that, with
buses experiencing congestion coming out of Plymouth, may not be robust
E. Only AM bus service is 0915, so potentially not qualifying for 0930 statutory start of bus concession
scheme. The 0915 bus journey time is shown in the 2nd “From Bere Ferres” row in the table
F. The only return by bus that is possible on the same day requires a 5 minute change at Tavistock, which,
given note D, may force cautious passengers to leave Plymouth on the bus to Tavistock that runs 20
minutes earlier. If so the journey time becomes 116 minutes <strong>and</strong> BT/TT 6.44.
G. The inbound journey arrives at 1104, the only same day return departure option is at 1200 (or 1140 for
the more cautious). Hence the maximum time in Plymouth would be 56 (or 36) minutes
Ratio of Bus to Train Journey Time (BT/TT)
The fourth column in the table shows how many times slower the bus (taking the average between the
fastest <strong>and</strong> slowest time) is compared to the train. It ranges from just less than double (1.90) for the journey
To Gunnislake from Plymouth to six times (5.73 or 6.44 –see Note F) for the From Bere Ferres journey.
Comparison of Operating Times <strong>and</strong> Days
Buses from Callington <strong>and</strong> Tavistock to Plymouth operate seven days per week but buses from
Gunnislake, Calstock, Bere Alston <strong>and</strong> Bere Ferres do not operate on Sundays (but Gunnislake has a
summer Sunday service). The train does run on Sundays. The train starts earlier than the local buses but as
the statutory concession scheme start is 0930, this is not relevant. However, the train also operates a few
hours later than the last local buses.
Comparison of length of stay in Plymouth options from Bere Ferres
The 205 (or 225, see Note F) minute return journey by bus from Bere Ferres to Plymouth allows 56 (or
36—see Note G) minutes stay in Plymouth. The return journey time by train of 36 minutes allows many
options of length of stay in Plymouth. Using the first three trains to Plymouth after 0930 <strong>and</strong> the first three
PM return trains allows stays of, 145, 187, 210, 312, 326 or 428 minutes in Plymouth.
APPENDIX 2
CONCESSION FARES ELEMENT IN RSG
The element of concession fares grant from central government to local government is contained within
RSG but not specifically identified. Local government has complained that the (unidentified) quantum is
insuYcient. The validity of that claim would depend on the quantum. An estimate of that quantum is
therefore required. Table One below makes this estimate.
Concession fares element within RSG was last specifically identified in 1989–1990 at £296.9 million. After
that it was subsumed into the EPCS part of RSG. Three specific quantified additions for concession fares
have been made since 1989–1990 <strong>and</strong> are identified in Table One.
Bus fares <strong>and</strong> hence the cost of concession fares to local government has risen since 1989–1990, but the
level of increase is not separately quantified within RSG. The key assumption in Table One (Note b) is that
the % increase in the concession fares element subsumed within EPCS is the same as the overall per cent
increase in EPCS. Table One uses that assumption <strong>and</strong> the specific additions for concession fares but takes
care (Notes c, e, g <strong>and</strong> i) not to “double count” the eVect of those additions.