First Bath (Bus) Customer Panel

[whole diary]

[grahame]

I'm on the First Bath Customer Panel, which meets 4 times a year.  It doesn't quite (!) have the same feeling of interaction I / we have with Great Western Railway these days - but it's definitely better than nothing, and I remind myself that we started from nothing with First's train folks too.   

Alas, I had a clash and missed the last meeting ... so the meeting later this week is my first for six month, and a great deal has happened since last summer.  A call for aged items yesterday, to be in by today ... oh my goodness; no chance to ask around - my items are at http://melksh.am/4615 and I'll report back post meeting.

[JayMac]

You mention in your summary that fare payers wanting a twice hourly service between Melksham and Bath have to buy two singles to use First in one direction and Faresaver in the other. Is the Wiltshire Day Rover not a cheaper option than these two singles?

[grahame]

You mention in your summary that fare payers wanting a twice hourly service between Melksham and Bath have to buy two singles to use First in one direction and Faresaver in the other. Is the Wiltshire Day Rover not a cheaper option than these two singles?

Ah ... http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/day-rover-leaflet.pdf

Yes - you are correct.  Single (First) is ^4.50, Faresaver ^4.30.  First 'return' (Bath outer zone ticket) ^6.50, Faresaver return ^6.50, Wiltshire Day Rover ^8.50. Not up to date on Faresaver prices on this route I'm usually on evening services which are First only or using part of the route which is on 272 but not x72. Faresaver timetable leaflet at http://www.faresaver.co.uk/timetables/55daca8d6468f.pdf - gives all sort of deals but not single / return prices. Doesn't mention Wiltshire Day Rover either - I'm unsure how well publicised that one is!

Is the leaflet up to date - I note "Please note that if you possess an English NationalBus Pass ... In addition pass-holders who live in Wiltshire can also use their bus passes before 9.30am on most services ^ please enquire for details." but through that was no longer the case ...

EDIT to add current Faresaver prices - from phone call to check with them

[grahame]

An updated thought.

If I travel in with one company and out with the other, I pay ^8.80 for 2 x singles.  So, yes, there' a small saving to ^8.50 with the Wiltshire ticket.  If I know who I'm going to come back with, though, there's a much greater difference - down to just ^6.50 return.

P.S.  I'm also aware that if I miss the final Faresaver bus at 17:40, I can use the return half of my Faresaver ticket on the First buses at 20:00 or 23:20. But NOT (of course  ) the First bus at 18:30; if I'm foolish enough to get on that with the return half of a Faresaver ticket, I'll be charged a further ^4.50 making a total of ^11.00 for my round trip.