Liverpool Night Buses Christmas 2015

[Barney]

RE: Liverpool Night Buses Christmas 2015

(18/11/2015 16:43)wirralbus Wrote:  Bus fares though do have to ecomonical viable but also attract custom away from the taxi industry , a hard balancing act.

I agree that operating any commercial bus service has to at least break even. That's the law as it stands. Having said that, it's interesting to note that the fares to be charged will be a mere £2 within Merseyside and £3 beyond Hooton. When Arriva pulled its night bus operation - over five years ago - it charged £3 within Liverpool and £4 to the Wirral. I have no doubt that those fares were considerably cheaper than a taxi fare yet people still chose to use taxis and private hire cars. Why was that?

The fundamental problem for bus operators in most parts of the country is that people regard buses as the option of last resort, especially after dark. I recall attending a lavish wedding reception about ten years ago in Thornton Hough where a large number of the wedding party was from the London area. About 1am a large group of the younger element decided to head to Liverpool to finish off the evening. They were amazed when I told them that there were no night buses and the only option was an expensive taxi ride.