I have been incredibly concerned to learn that Stagecoach’s recent fare changes have included the abolition of ‘Bay Plus’ tickets, meaning that residents living along Stagecoach’s 40/41/42 routes could face paying 33% per week more for the cost of their travel into Lancaster and Morecambe. This impacts everyone from children trying to get to school in Lancaster, to people trying to get to work or families heading into Lancaster for the evening. In the midst of a cost of living crisis too, it’s wrong.
That’s why I have written to Stagecoach asking them why these changes have been made and highlighting the negative impact these changes will have on families from Forton to Garstang. Unfortunately though, Stagecoach is a private company, meaning it is within their right to hike fares without a care for the public interest. A Labour Government would let Councils across England take over bus services, like Labour has done in Manchester and Liverpool, to run them in the public interest.