Weather
Boss defends bus price increase
From the archive, first published Thursday 29th Dec 2005.
A BUS company boss today defended Boxing Day price increases after a family were asked to pay £12 for a return trip from Blackburn to Accrington.
Blackburn Transport were accused of Scrooge-like behaviour after Debbie McGregor, her daughter Emily, 12, and her cousin Lauren Burns-Campbell, 10, protested over a journey that normally costs £4.80.
The trio, who planned to travel from Blackburn to Accrington to spend Emily's Christmas money on Boxing Day, were so stunned by the price hike that they opted to get a taxi home, which cost just £5.
But the bus company explained that, as one of the few East Lancashire bus companies to provide a service on Boxing Day and New Year's Day, it charges a flat rate of £2 for each trip to cover the cost of paying the drivers over the Bank Holidays.
Michael Morton, managing director of Blackburn Transport, said the Boxing Day price increase was advertised on 6,000 leaflets placed in its offices and on notices on all its buses.
He added: "Most other bus companies don't operate a service on Boxing Day. We do, but we charge £2 because we have to pay a much higher premium rate for wages.
"We also provide a free service to our hospitals on Christmas Day. "
Neil McGregor, Debbie's ex-husband and Emily's father, explained that they took the 1.32pm 204 Darwen service from the Intack traffic lights to Accrington town centre.
Mr McGregor, 43, of Washington Street, Accrington, said: "They do this journey all the time and are usually charged £1.20 for an adult fare and 60p each for the children, making £4.80 return. But on Boxing Day the prices went up to £2 each, making it £12 return.
"They decided to only pay for a single and get a taxi home. I think the bus company is taking advantage of people wanting to travel over Christmas."
Debbie, 39, of Lamlash Road, Shadsworth, said: "There shouldn't be such a difference between prices over Christmas."
A spokesman for Lancashire United, based in Blackburn, said it runs no services on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year's Day and that its prices don't change over the festive period.
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
