Bus passengers have complained of a “postcode lottery” for cheaper fares after a discounted ticket was axed, writes Local Democracy Reporter, Daniel Holland.
While North East mayor Kim McGuinness has this month extended the region’s £2.50 cap on the cost of a single bus journey to March 2027, politicians also signed off a further shakeup of fares in order to “control the costs” of the public subsidies being used to reimburse private operators.
That includes the scrapping of the existing Tyne and Wear Day Rover, a ticket offering unlimited one day travel across the county’s public transport systems for £6.80.
The day rover, which can be used on buses, the Shields Ferry, the Tyne and Wear Metro, and train services, will be removed from April 1, 2026.
The closest alternative for passengers will be the regionwide day ticket, which also covers services in Durham and Northumberland, priced at a more expensive £7.50.
However, single-county day rover tickets providing unlimited bus travel will continue to exist in both Durham and Northumberland – both costing only £6.
The North East Public Transport Users Group has welcomed a move to simplify tickets, but said the changes appeared “unfair” on people living in Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead, North Tyneside, and South Tyneside.
A spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “North East Public Transport Users Group have long called for simplified ticketing that enables people to move around the region cost effectively, and to switch between different transport modes and operators seamlessly.
“Whilst we agree that reducing the vast number of ticket options is a good thing, it does appear unfair that in Tyne and Wear passengers will now have to purchase a pricier ticket covering the entire region, whilst elsewhere cheaper Durham-only and Northumberland-only tickets will be retained. Passengers deserve better than a postcode lottery for public transport tickets across our region.”
The cost of the Durham day rover is increasing from £5 to £6 next year.
And discounted public transport tickets for young people aged 21 and under, capped at £1 for a single and £3 for a day ticket, will be limited to those who have a Pop Blue smartcard.
The North East Combined Authority (NECA) said that it needed to “control the costs” of its subsidised fares due to inflation and the risk of fraudulent purchase of young peoples’ fares.
It currently costs the authority £32 million per year to offer the fare subsidies, which it said would jump to £37 million if the new restrictions were not introduced in 2026/27.
A NECA spokesperson said: “Public transport use in the North East is growing faster than almost anywhere in the country because we’ve stepped in to keep fares low. Local people made nine million more journeys on bus and Metro this year thanks to the Mayor’s Fares, a good value and simple promise that anyone up to age 21 can pay no more than a pound, while adults can travel anywhere by bus for £2.50.
“Mayor Kim has promised to freeze these fares until at least 2027 and keep Metro fares as low as possible with single journeys starting from £2 with a Pop card. We are also subsidising the price of all-day tickets, so from next year it will cost £6 to use only buses in Durham or Northumberland and £7.50 to use both bus and Metro anywhere in the region.”
Daniel Holland
Reporter for the Local Democracy Reporter Service.
South West Durham News covering news across County Durham.
