Metrolink fares to go up

November 06, 2007

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METROLINK fares are to go up by more than the cost of inflation.

Single and return fares will rise by an average of 5.7 per cent from Sunday, November 18.

Officials say it is the first increase in two and a half years and that the overall price rises will be below the level of inflation over that time.

But the move is likely to anger commuters at a time when transport chiefs are trying to encourage more people to use public transport.

Season tickets will be frozen at their current prices until February 1 next year and there will be no increase in child fares.

Some family tickets will be reduced.

GMPTE, which owns the Metrolink network, wants more people to take advantage of weekly, four-weekly, quarterly or annual season tickets to benefit from discounts.

The system is now operated by the transport giant Stagecoach which also runs Sheffield's Supertram. But the company operates a management-only contract in Greater Manchester and all policy decisions are made by the PTE.

The fare increase follows a summer of frustration as 20 miles of worn out track have been replaced between Bury and Altrincham and the city centre, leading to a replacement bus service.

PTE director Michael Renshaw said: "We've held Metrolink fares for two years now while we invested in the system to offer a better service for passengers.

Metrolink provides a fast, reliable alternative to driving into the city centre and is still good value for money when compared to other forms of transport.

"We're encouraging people to buy season tickets to save money on the cost of travel. Some passengers will be able to save over £20 a month by buying a four-weekly ticket instead of return tickets each weekday.

"They'll also be able to use their season tickets to travel on Metrolink at weekends.

"We're making Metrolink more affordable for families by reducing most weekday family tickets and introducing a new special low rate at weekends.

"We will continue to reinvest revenue from fares back into the existing network so that Metrolink can keep on offering a high quality service for passengers."

The new weekend family ticket will be reduced by £1 to £5 for a one-day pass and by £3 to £7 for a two-day pass.

The ticket can be used by up to two adults who are accompanied by one to three children. More than £600 million is being spent on expanding the Metrolink network and improving the existing system.

Ticket machines are to be replaced soon and eight new trams will also be added to the network in 2009 to relieve overcrowding at peak times.

Work on the three new lines to Oldham and Rochdale, Droylsden in Tameside, and Chorlton in South Manchester is due to start next year.

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Technobabble, Manchester (06/11/2007 at 14:54)

"Officials say it is the first increase in two and a half years"- rubbish!!!

In February 2006 they de facto increased the cost of a monthly season ticket for just 2 zones by 8.7%! They did this by switching from a calendar monthly system to a 4 week system for the same money. And they kept it bloody quiet too, right down to changing it in Februry, the only month that is exactly 4 weeks long so no-one would pick up on it until it was too late.

ace, manchester (06/11/2007 at 15:04)

We will continue to reinvest revenue from fares .Bloody hell how much do they think they will get from the fares???

polkyb (06/11/2007 at 15:05)

I thought the new trams and the expansion to Oldham, Rochdale and Ashton was dependant on a congestion charge?

If the expansion is going ahead anyway, then why bother with the new tax?

dessie, manchester (06/11/2007 at 15:09)

ha great timing, announcement of the congestion charge, telling everyone public transport is is better and cheaper blah blah blah!!
bye bye labour council!!!

ebble (06/11/2007 at 15:13)

I suppose the more tram fares rise the more people will travel by car, so giving the clueless, money grabbing experts who are paid good money to oversee our public transport system more excuses for their hare brained, money grabbing, index-linked pension funding schemes like the congestion charge.

Road Safety Officer (06/11/2007 at 15:35)

I am furious about this anouncement. Especially at a time when we want to encourage people out of their cars and onto public transport. This will hit hard those who have already made the commitment to sustainable transport and will force them back onto the roads.

chris (06/11/2007 at 16:26)

It’s a pity they can't commission the new trams as quickly as they can bring in higher prices.
Are they going to give refunds when the don’t manage to get on a tram until after 9am at Stretford after getting there at 8:30am

Durns, Ashton u Lyne (06/11/2007 at 16:40)

well thats the right way to encourage us all to leave the car at hom isn't it? You have to have fares like in Paris or Madrid affordable!!!!

Stretford Red, Stretford, PRM (06/11/2007 at 16:44)

Yet another price hike for an overpriced pathetic service. This epitomises the mess public transport is in in this country. Metrolink is an expensive, dirty, unreliable joke and I honestly do not believe they have the cheek to put up prices yet again. Disgraceful

Snare Drum, Ashton-under-Lyne (06/11/2007 at 17:07)

So who believes anything that the pro C-Charge lobby say? They want to get us all onto the busses trains and trams, and five years before the stealth tax can be implemented they are pushing up prices and for the second year running. Like I have said on this subject several times, they need more car users on the roads to pay for the £1.8b loan. At present, the amount of cars which have according to Manchester council, have decreased by 22% since 1999, will not cover the repayment costs, so where are the additional monies going to come from?

Luke O' Neil (06/11/2007 at 17:25)

My Marketing Assistant a student at Manchester University has to travel from Manchester City Centre to Altrincham every day and due to the fact that the return fare is a massive £4.80 a day return at peak times has to instead get the bus which takes over an hour and a half each way each day to work and back mainly due to the fact that congestion is unbelievable on Manchester Road. The fact that Metrolink do not even offer a Young Person Discount like Train Companies is disgusting as is £4.80 a day for what is actually not that far a distance. Coupled with the fact that the trams are always overcrowded at peak times to the point where you are crushed trying to get home another price hike is unjust and unacceptable. Why do Local Councils and Government continue to shaft the honest working person with extra money to do everything?

rammylad, ramsbottom (06/11/2007 at 17:36)

People Power, we made the MEN print the article they did not want to print. Great.

Now we just need MEN to develop some 'ahemm's' and stand for the good people of this city and defeat the con charge.

JohnB, Manchester (06/11/2007 at 17:37)

This is a very bad PR decision. At a time when we are having the congestion charge pushed into over faces over and over telling us how great its going to be.. but now we really see that it means we will have to pay more?

I do worry when/if GMPTE take control of the bus network will we suffer more with inflated bus fares? Probably!

ANON (06/11/2007 at 19:09)

Since starting to use the Metrolink a month ago after moving house, I have seen a person faint (because of being overcrowded no doubt), leant in something sticky on the wall which ruined my skirt, and seen 2 people practically having intercourse on the tram. All for 4.20 a day to go 4 stops. Almost a 50% increase on my previous travel fare by bus. Its a bloody joke.

Timberman, MANCHESTER (06/11/2007 at 19:22)

So they are spending £600m on the Metrolink. This before any decision on the C-charge has been made. If they can do this with the funds they have now why do they need to bring in the C-charge? Trickie and Jollies retirement fund maybe. TTFN

lebist, Blackley (06/11/2007 at 19:57)

I don't care.I've got a free pass.My glass is half full.

chipbutty (06/11/2007 at 20:01)

Saint Pancrus £800million refurbishment. Waterloo £800million refurbishment. On top of this London gets twice the money per person from the UK tax payer for public transport then the rest of the country put together. Then there is Crossrail. This will cost £16 billion. £16 billion. That is the present estimate. Why is there not a huge outcry against the vast amount of money that is constantly spent within the M25 whilst the rest of us are left to scrap for what,s left?

A Realist, Manchester (06/11/2007 at 20:19)

If they want people to stop using their cars then they need to lower the rates not increase them, its a total rip off as it is.

Pete (06/11/2007 at 20:59)

"due to the fact that congestion is unbelievable on Manchester Road." - Luke ONeil. Congestion on Manchester Road is not unbelievable - it is busy but moves steadily. I use that route to Salford Quays each work day. I recently swopped the Tram for my car because of the unreliability, overcrowding and cost.I find that it takes about the same length of time (alot quicker in the morning) and I dont have to spend my commute with my face pressed into someones armpit.

S P In exile, Tameside (06/11/2007 at 22:53)

This price hike will encourage more people to abandon public transport and get into their cars, but this is what the powers that be want they then can justify why Manchester need a congestion charge.

Come on people of Gtr Manchester don't let the councils get one step ahead, vote against them and let them know how you feel.

Call me Dave, Manchester (06/11/2007 at 23:16)

Road Safety Officer

Please explain to me why cars are not a 'sustainable mode of Transport'?

Mr Angry, Bury (07/11/2007 at 07:36)

I have never been particularly impressed with Metrolink. It is expensive and uncomfortable.

I actually thought that the service from Bury to Manchester was better when it was operated by British Rail using the electric trains. They had big comfortable seats and, in the rush hour, used to have six coaches. I never once failed to get a seat in 20+ years of using them to travel to Manchester on and it was also virtually 100% reliable, cancellations and delays were extremely rare

The fares were also cheaper.

traffordtroublemaker (07/11/2007 at 09:01)

The metrolink is appalling. I drive to work as public transport in general would not get me there quicker or cheaper than driving. This is a ploy to get everyone back into their cars so that they can justify the congestion charge. I only ever use public transport at evenings and weekends (usually going out with friends), and am appalled at the cost of the system. I also believe that more cars need to be used at peak times - there never seems to be more than 2 cars whenever I see it at rush hour, with everyone crammed like sardines. If they put a sensible number of cars on, it would be used more as it would be more comfortable, and this increase in usage would mean they would get their extra profit from the extra passengers rather than charging existing passengers more money. Its common sense - THINK!!!!

R Bennett (07/11/2007 at 09:04)

Passengers in Manchester require flexibility. A public transport system that allows ease of movement between all of its services (Buses, Trains and Trams) and an intelligent pricing policy to match.

Michael Renshaw, by deliberately keeping season ticket prices low and charging extortionate amounts for single journeys, is penalising commuters who require this flexibility.

It’s time to step into the future GMPTE, and actually spend your money on genuine improvements for all of your committed passengers.

V P of Manchester, Manchester (07/11/2007 at 09:50)

I use the Metrolink and have always tried to champion it, as I do believe that where possible we should use public transport.

Since the amazing upgrade to the Bury and Altrincham lines I have increasingly used my car for the reasonably short journey to work. The reason for this is since coming back online the tram system has been more unreliable (which I know very difficult) than before.

I have got to Victoria at 06:45 and still been there after 07:10, and of course with no updates verbally or on the display that has not worked since the upgrade.

When they do infrequently turn up they are for Piccadilly meaning you then have to either wait, or try and get a connecting tram on Mosley Street.

I have been all over Europe, and it still baffles me that they can run public transport for a fraction we do and usually 24 hours a day, and strangely enough one ticket gets you on all transport, not certain trains or trams or a multitude of different bus companies, with completely varying prices for the same route.

Will government or MCR council listen, no they are more interested in getting all your taxes, which will be even more with congestion charges.

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