Stagecoach’s decision to charge its passengers an extra 10p for using transport interchanges in South Yorkshire is causing confusion for passengers and damaging relationships with stakeholders.
That is the view of Councillor Mick Jameson, Chair of South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority, who has today written to the Rt Hon Rosie Winterton MP, Minister of State for Transport, about the subject.
At a meeting of the authority yesterday, members expressed anger at Stagecoach’s imposition of the 10p charge and asked the Chair to write to the Minister about it.
In his letter Councillor Jameson says: “In 2006/07, Stagecoach, in common with other operators, appealed against the reimbursement of the concessionary fares scheme. The matter was resolved by arbitration and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) met the arbiter’s findings for 2006/07 in full. As part of the arbitration, the arbiter recommended that, in future, SYPTE separated out departure charges from concessionary fares payments."
Departure charges have always been levied in South Yorkshire and since 1999 were netted off the concessionary fares reimbursement.
In 2007/08 we, therefore, separately identified the departure charges (benchmarked against other similar charges elsewhere) from the sums needed for concessionary fares reimbursement. We have reached agreement locally on both issues with all other operators.
Stagecoach, however, have chosen to appeal against the level of reimbursement that they will receive from the concessionary fares scheme. Councillor Jameson added: "Whilst we believe a solution could have been achieved locally, we understand that, as a group, they have chosen to continue to appeal. We fully accept that they are entitled to do this.”
In addition, in July Stagecoach said they would need to raise fares due to the impact of the decision on concessionary fares and on 26 August they introduced an additional 10p charge for passengers using interchanges. Subsequently they published a leaflet which is seriously misleading in that it says SYPTA has introduced departure charges when it has not done so and quotes inaccurate figures.
Stagecoach are also actively encouraging people not to use interchanges which SYPTE has built using public finds to encourage more people to use public transport in South Yorkshire.
The 10p charge for each person using an interchange may raise significantly more than the sum that they need, even when allowance is made for concessionary fares and MegaRiders.
Councillor Jameson concludes: “I believe the approach to this issue has harmed Stagecoach’s relationship with a number of stakeholders and caused confusion for customers. The leaflets have been withdrawn as they are inaccurate, but Stagecoach has made no public apology regarding these inaccuracies and is continuing with the fares increase.
"In summary, this act is very unhelpful in developing partnerships and undermines work we have done with the operators over the last 18 months.”