Buses are too expensive

[MrsCremuel]

From my house to town it’s a 25min walk with a baby and toddler so I tend to drive. I’ve been trying to cut out local journeys and either walk or take the bus but Jesus, it’s expensive. For a 10min bus journey return it’s £6. For two hours parking in town it’s £3.50 plus fuel plus a lot less inconvenience.

Where is the incentive for drivers to take the bus? AIBU to think how are we going to help tackle climate changes when fares are so expensive and we are just relying in people to make the ethical choice?

YANBU, but it's not a new thing.
I couldn't justify it to myself to pay for a journey that takes 25 minutes to walk, unless it was raining heavily or I have heavy shopping, as the short hops are the most ridiculously priced.

No incentive at all with those prices. £3.60 adult return for me which is cheaper than parking and less stressful because rarely any available parking and end up driving around for 10-20 mins trying to find a spot

@VapeVamp12

Wow I didn't know buses were so expensive! In London they're just over £1.50 per trip and if you get on another bus within the hour it doesn't charge you again.

Yes we’re so lucky in that regard. And children are completely free.

Yep, I used to pay £10 per day, for a bus journey that often took 3 hours door to door, if the first bus was full (~1 time in 3). I now drive it in 45 min.

@Momicrone

User149, not sure how the cost of a car and keeping it on the road is irrelevant when looking at ones bank account

Because it's money you've already spent - whatever you do now won't put that money back in your bank account - it's gone. Google for the "sunk" cost concept.

That's why you can't consider it when you come to making the decision whether to drive to the cinema tonight or whether to take the bus/taxi. The only things that matter for tonight's cinema trip is the cost of the extra petrol you'll use against the cost of the taxi/bus.

Totally agree...

Train prices are also expensive

I'm looking to take the DC to London and flying there is going to be cheaper than the train.

In Reading it is £4.20 for an all day ticket which isn't too bad.

Where in the country are you that a day saver costs that much? I can travel all over my town all day for for £3.

@ThrobbingToothacheOfTheMind I live in a large Kent town.

Don’t get me started on the train to London - 6-7K a year to commute!

If I wanted to take the bus into town it would be £3.60 return.The train would be the same price with an off peak day return.

It’s £4.50 for a day rider here and take 40 mins to walk. City parking is expensive. But when DP and I are both going (and with a slow child too) it’s makes absolutely no difference to just drive and park.

I can also park at an ‘Early Bird’ car park for £4.50 too on office days so again, why bother with the bus when I can park 5 mins from my office for a 10 min drive instead?

User149, I understand the sunk cost concept, thanks, but choosing to live car free can save lots of money for some, for others, maybe not

I live in Edinburgh and I'm astounded by the prices of the bus fares elsewhere.

It's £1.80 for a single or £4.50 for a day ticket if paying cash. If you use your bank card then its £1.80 single, £4.40 for the day or £20 for the week (it's called TapTapCap)

We can also get a family ticket (2 adults, 3 kids) for £9.50

Lothian Buses are partially owned by the council so the fares are massively subsidised really.

My town centre is 3 miles away and I have the option of getting the train (albeit the train station is a 5-10 minute walk but more frequent than the bus) or bus:

Bus: £4 for a day return/£2.40 for a single ticket/£6 for an adult/child day return

Train: £3 for a return or £2.80 single for an adult

I'll probably get slated for this but the cost of the bus passes which means the people over certain age can travel for free is huge. Effectively we're all subsidising that if we pay bus fares as I understand, as the full cost isn't met by the government. I'm sure in some areas where there is a big population of retired people it is an even bigger problem. Even my mum who benefits hugely from her bus pass thinks that she gets a very good deal which won't last. She previously gone through several counties using it to get on holiday which cost nothing.

I'd walk a 25 minute walk. I can't drive so I've regularly walked longer distances than that with DS since he was born. 25 minutes is not a long walk.

I didn't realise buses elsewhere were so expensive. For me a single is £2, return £3, day ticket with unlimited journeys £3.50.

That cost is insane....but genuinely confused as to why a 25min walk is not possible unless you have mobility issues or something else you haven't mentioned....surely that is a normal expected walk if you live outside the main town?
I live in London where bus prices are much more affordable, but I still walk 25mins walks a lot, especially if there is traffic.

Not trying to be good, genuinely confused. Did you mean 45mins?

*goady

I wouldn't get a bus for a 25minute walk. In fact I think I have to walk 25 minutes to get a bus into London. Even when I had a toddler and a baby I would more likely walk than get a bus

but genuinely confused as to why a 25min walk is not possible unless you have mobility issues or something else you haven't mentioned....surely that is a normal expected walk if you live outside the main town?

Depends on where you live, not everywhere is walkable. 25 minute walk on flat paved surfaced is fine for many people but plenty of areas don't have that. To walk into the nearest small town from where I am (20 minutes bus ride away) you would have to walk along roads that have no path so you have to walk on the grass verge when there is one and on the road when there isn't which can be hazardous enough for an adult never mind chucking small children or pushchairs into the equation. The area where I used to live before here it was an easy walk to town, around 30 minutes and all down hill, but coming back was too much to walk as it was all uphill and I'm talking really steep side-of-a-valley hills.

I wouldn't walk for 25 mins if I had a complaining DS with me and / or it was pissing with rain and / or I was on a tight schedule when a bus could get us home in 10-15 mins

If there is more than one person travelling, its cheaper and quicker to go by car. That's even taking into account the clean air zone.

I only really get the bus if its snowed and I can't get the car out.

I didn’t realise that public transport outside of london was so expensive!