Campaign to keep £2 child bus fare offer in Hastings

A temporary bus ticket offer for children has proved so popular Hastings residents are calling on Stagecoach to make it permanent to keep fares affordable.
By The Newsroom
Published 23rd Mar 2016, 11:43 BST
Updated 23rd Mar 2016, 11:52 BST

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Residents deliver their letter calling for Stagecoach to keep its £2 child ticket offer to its depot in St Leonards. Photo courtesy of Fares Fair for ChildrenResidents deliver their letter calling for Stagecoach to keep its £2 child ticket offer to its depot in St Leonards. Photo courtesy of Fares Fair for Children
Residents deliver their letter calling for Stagecoach to keep its £2 child ticket offer to its depot in St Leonards. Photo courtesy of Fares Fair for Children

A letter, signed by 25 people, was delivered to the Stagecoach depot on Beaufort Road, St Leonards, urging the bus company to keep its £2 dayrider ticket for under-19s.

A cardboard bus with ‘Fares Fair for Children’ on it accompanied the campaigners who believe the firm should also do more to make child ticket price cheaper.

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“Stagecoach has the opportunity to do something about both these issues, by making the £2 child fare a permanent offer and by going even further to make child fares affordable to all,” grandparent Tony Collins said.

The £2 tickets were introduced as a temporary promotion in January which expires on April 10.

Ordinarily it coasts £2.70 for a child day return which is only available for under-16s, who have to pay more.

Families can save money by buying a term or yearly passes but for many families, the upfront cost is too great so they have to buy daily tickets.

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Mr Collins said the promotion was a ‘big improvement’ but it still equates to nearly £400 a year per child which he said was a ‘considerable burden’ on families, especially those with more than one child.

A Stagecoach spokesman said the offer will be reviewed before any decision is taken and the company provides ‘good value’ for children.

“The ticket has proved very popular and we were pleased to be able to extend the offer until April 10, so that young people can continue to take advantage of the lower fare to get out and about over Easter,” the spokesman said.

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Related topics:HastingsStagecoachSt LeonardsFacebook