COUNTING THE COST OF CONCESSIONARY FARES

Pricing implications of the concessionary fares scheme operated by Surrey County Council are investigated. The study by W.S. Atkins Planning was to assess the fairest level of payment to be made to bus operators and examine the characteristics of permit holders and the impact of the scheme upon them. Three inter-related surveys were conducted: (1) an in-bus survey to provide primary information from a simple questionnaire, (2) a survey of households, and (3) a study of a seven-day log completed by each interviewee. Results showed that 75 per cent of those travelling above pensionable age made use of the scheme and that females outnumbered male passengers by a ratio of three-to-one. Shopping was the most frequent journey purpose and the quality of service appeared to be the major concern of permit holders. People making the most journeys were willing to pay higher charges. The scheme appeared to generate up to 30 per cent additional journeys by permit holders. Compensation to bus operators was very sensitive to the level of generated traffic assumed, but seemed to vary considerably for a sample of five schemes. (TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00396303
• Corporate Authors:

  Specialist and Professional Press

  Surrey House, 1 Throwley Way
  Sutton, Surrey SM1 4QQ,   England 
• Authors:
  • MELLOR, A D
  • DAVIES, R F
• Publication Date: 1983-8-18

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 18-19
• Serial:
  • SURVEYOR
  • Volume: 162
  • Issue Number: 4755
  • Publisher: Hemming Group, Limited
  • ISSN: 0039-6303

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aged; Bus transit; Buses; Costs; Economic elasticity; Fares; Females; Financing; Free fares; Households; Human beings; Level of service; Males; Pricing; Public transit; Quality of service; Questionnaires; Subsidies; Surveys; Tariffs; Tickets; Trip generation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Use
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• Old TRIS Terms: Bus services
• ITRD Terms: 1272: Bus; 224: Cost; 244: Financing; 251: Free (no charge); 663: Generated traffic; 309: Household; 9147: Interview; 696: Journey purpose; 653: Level of service; 1787: Man; 1746: Old people; 744: Public transport; 250: Season ticket; 241: Tariff; 8119: United Kingdom; 9084: Use; 1788: Woman
• Subject Areas: Economics; Finance; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00381477
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 30 1984 12:00AM