Monday 15 March 2010

Bus change campaign!

Just back from the Merseytravel Advisory Panel which is a committee which brings together community reps, people from Merseytravel, people from the bus companies and Councillors. I represent Liverpool City Council on the committee.

I took the opportunity to raise the issue of bus drivers not having a float and so not giving change. When people try to pay and the driver has no change one of two things are likely to happen (and I have seen this). The first is that the driver makes you pay too much for your ticket. The second is that you get thrown off. (In fact another Councillor said this had happened to his 18 year old daughter)

Anyway it turns out that while the Stagecoach bus company gives drivers a set float as a matter of policy, it is Arriva's policy not to do this.

I challenged this as I find it amazing that an operation which is basically a form of retail would find it acceptable to not have a starting float. I got some support from the meeting so hopefully we'll be able to get this changed if we keep pushing.

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