Cheshire Stored Vale Travelcard

[knutstransport]

Cheshire Stored Vale Travelcard
In Cheshire (including Warrington) there is the option of paying for bus fares using a Cheshire Travelcard - which is like a pre-paid debit card where you top up in multiples of £5. Some operators give you a discount for using it, others allow you to use it to pay for your journey at the normal fare and some reserve discounts for certain ticket types e.g. only single tickets.

Current participating operators are:
Aintree Coachline - 10% discount
Arriva - 10% discount on single tickets only
Arrowebrook Coaches - 10% discount
D&G - up to 15% discount but not available on services operated from Adderley Green depot
Network Warrington - no discount
Stagecoach - no discount

That obviously leaves a number of services operated by operators which don't accept them - High Peak, First Potteries, Fairbrothers, Howards/Springfield, Tomlinson Travel, Mikro, Hollinshead, D Jones and Sons, Townlynx and Halton Community Transport.

Are the councils actively trying to get other operators to join the scheme? Some of the non-participating operators run ex-GHA routes and GHA did participate in the scheme so it seems like the number of routes you can use the Travelcard on is dropping slightly rather than increasing.

[Valandil]

RE: Cheshire Stored Vale Travelcard
I think the problem with all of these smartcards is how piecemeal they are.
Only when there's an all-operator country-wide (or at least region-wide) smartcard will I consider them.
Very envious of the OAP/disabled passes ...

[iMarkeh]

RE: Cheshire Stored Vale Travelcard
hardly anyone uses the Cheshire Stored card thing. It isnt very advertised and it just doesnt seem any better other than very slight discounts.

[knutstransport]

RE: Cheshire Stored Vale Travelcard
Yes a multi-operator scheme would be beneficial in Cheshire. If you're making a return journey where it is possible to use two operators then you have to either buy two singles (more expensive) to ensure you can catch the next bus or you buy a return ticket for one operator but might not be able to catch the next bus. It would be even more beneficial if you could buy one ticket for a journey involving the bus + train.

[telf23]

RE: Cheshire Stored Vale Travelcard
I wouldn't see a point in a multi operator card. The big operators, particularly Arriva, seem to have most of Cheshire covered

[knutstransport]

RE: Cheshire Stored Vale Travelcard

(30/10/2016 13:18)telf23 Wrote:  I wouldn't see a point in a multi operator card. The big operators, particularly Arriva, seem to have most of Cheshire covered

I think you're missing the point of a multi-operator card. If you are travelling between say Tytherington and Macclesfield and have an Arriva ticket you might have to watch a High Peak bus leave before an Arriva one arrives, unless you want to buy an additional ticket. Then there's routes like Leighton Hospital to Shavington where the commercial daytime services aren't operated by the same operator as the subsided evening services so if you plan to catch the last commercial service but miss it then you have to buy a new ticket.

[telf23]

RE: Cheshire Stored Vale Travelcard

(30/10/2016 13:31)knutstransport Wrote:  I think you're missing the point of a multi-operator card. If you are travelling between say Tytherington and Macclesfield and have an Arriva ticket you might have to watch a High Peak bus leave before an Arriva one arrives, unless you want to buy an additional ticket. Then there's routes like Leighton Hospital to Shavington where the commercial daytime services aren't operated by the same operator as the subsided evening services so if you plan to catch the last commercial service but miss it then you have to buy a new ticket.

No I got the point, but I still don't see a point for one for across Cheshire. It's a big place to cover when it's not really necessary. Things like walrus cards are successful in Liverpool, because pretty much every route is duplicated by more than one operator, and most services go to the same place (city centre). Most towns and villages have a service to a major city, whether it be Chester, Liverpool or Manchester, and most are run by the same operator. I know I used to get solely arriva from Runcorn to Crewe everyday, and could even continue through to northwich if I wanted

[knutstransport]

RE: Cheshire Stored Vale Travelcard

(30/10/2016 15:14)telf23 Wrote:  No I got the point, but I still don't see a point for one for across Cheshire. It's a big place to cover when it's not really necessary. Things like walrus cards are successful in Liverpool, because pretty much every route is duplicated by more than one operator, and most services go to the same place (city centre). Most towns and villages have a service to a major city, whether it be Chester, Liverpool or Manchester, and most are run by the same operator. I know I used to get solely arriva from Runcorn to Crewe everyday, and could even continue through to northwich if I wanted

That sounds a bit like 'because an Arriva day ticket meets my needs there's no need for a Cheshire multi-operator ticket.'

All it needs is for the operator of one route to change and then your fare rockets. Just over a week ago you could get from Knutsford to Didbsury or from Wilmslow to the Trafford Centre and back on an Arriva North West Day ticket (£5.30.) Tomorrow the same journeys by bus would be £9.20. I realise those examples cross the boundary in to Greater Manchester but the same principle will apply for your example from Runcorn to Northwich if Arriva lose contracts.

[Valandil]

RE: Cheshire Stored Vale Travelcard
It's for the reason that people who live near boundaries often end up paying more for transport that I think a countrywide all operator ticket would be great.
Obviously there are then issues with the pricing though, as the south's economy works at a different pace to that of say the Scottish highlands and islands! (But then again many journeys taken up there will probably be much longer).

[knutstransport]

RE: Cheshire Stored Vale Travelcard
A countrywide option would be great but I think countywide or regional tickets could be implemented much quicker.

D&G have this week decided to withdraw the Cheshire Travelcard discounts from the 56, 68, 75, 79, 83, 88 and 89 services but haven't briefed their drivers who keep thinking the ticket machines aren't responding by not giving the discounts. I'm not sure how they came up with those routes they all seem to be subsided routes but the discounts are still available on other subsided routes such as the 32, 38 and 42 routes.