Free bus services

[Deerfold]

A saver bus ticket was a sort of carnet - you bought 6 tickets for the price of 5 or something like that. You tore off a ticket and handed it to the driver, keeping the stub in case of inspection. The serial number would match up with the part kept by the driver

They went off sale in 2007 or 8 (yes...) but the TfL site says you can still use them if you have any left. For how long - pass

People do still obtain saver tickets even though they're not on general sale.

When they were first on sale they worked out as 65p each when a cash bus fare was £1.

 

[PermitToTravel]

I've never really understood why the 147 bus is a heavily subsided fare paying route (80p single, £1.50 day ticket) and the Metroshuttle are free. Why didn't 147 finish up as a 4th Metroshuttle route?

The Metroshuttles are paid for and run by TfGM; whereas the 147 is run commercially by Bullocks and subsidised by the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, Royal Northern College of Music, and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust. The former serve a wide range of retail outlets and tend to be used by people who spend money in the city centre, whereas the latter is used almost exclusively by students.

 

[Mr Manager]

Ipswich has the 38 basically a staff shuttle bus from the depot to the bus station. it calls at endeavour house the HQ of the local council who pay for the service based on car parking fees paid by council staff who drive to work.

Also the service X a free bus from town to the waterfront though this is being withdrawn.

 

[pjnathanail]

Ashbourne has a "Free Shopper Hopper" run by Glovers on Wednesday to Saturday only from Waterside Retail Park to the town centre (but not the bus station).

Nottinghamshire County Council also ran a couple of free shuttle buses in the Kimberly area last week due to a road closure (one to Nuthall Church and one to Phoinix Park).

AFAIK a few local link services in Nottingham are still free too, possibly the L2 Gamston-Silverdale

 

[Liam]

There is, or used to be a free bus operated by Ratho Coaches between South Gyle and Edinburgh Park stations. It's only for workers at Edinburgh Park, although I'm not sure how strictly this is enforced.

 

[eastend43]

The Metroshuttles are paid for and run by TfGM; whereas the 147 is run commercially by Bullocks and subsidised by the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, Royal Northern College of Music, and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust. The former serve a wide range of retail outlets and tend to be used by people who spend money in the city centre, whereas the latter is used almost exclusively by students.

And the 147 is free for University of Manchester students and staff between the university's two main sites (but not as far as Piccadilly Station or the hospitals)

 

[Busaholic]

A sort of water bus, - Woolwich Free Ferry.

A wonderful institution, but unlikely to continue for very much longer in view of alternative Thames crossings being examined in that area.

 

[harry42]

AFAIK a few local link services in Nottingham are still free too, possibly the L2 Gamston-Silverdale

Possibly the L8 around Sherwood in Nottingham as well?

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Southern 'the key' cards?

Perhaps they all have paper Travelcards you never know! I had a great conversation with the 'conductors' on the new Routemasters (remember they are not there for revenue, just to monitor the doors!) as to why I would not touch my Oyster card on the reader and yes I did have a valid reason why and no I will not be prosecuted, as I showed him the paper ticket as I left!

I suppose we won't know until the buses are teeming with revenue armed with new powers to dispense instant Robocop style justice to fare evaders.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If you have a paper ticket you're meant to board at the front and show to the driver.

 

[Busaholic]

If you have a paper ticket you're meant to board at the front and show to the driver.

That is a bone of contention, one that has been picked to the point of destruction, but as there is no definitive statement that can be relied upon by TfL, and as, as far as I know, nobody with such a valid ticket has ever been forcibly ejected from a bus, let alone prosecuted for some obscure 'offence',I think we should take it that, on a multi-door boarding bus, you can take which ever entrance is most convenient to you, the passenger.

 

[gswindale]

There is, or used to be a free bus operated by Ratho Coaches between South Gyle and Edinburgh Park stations. It's only for workers at Edinburgh Park, although I'm not sure how strictly this is enforced.

Similarly there are services from both Reading station & Winnersh Triangle Station to Thames Valley Park. Again these are for workers at TVP but I suspect some others do use them purely for travelling into town for shopping etc!

 

[rishton82]

There is a free bus between Royal Blackburn Hospital and Burnley Hospital. I think it is paid for by the local health trust and is supposed to be for staff and patients travelling between the two sites.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

The Christmas Day services on Merseyside are free

 

[pemma]

The Metroshuttles are paid for and run by TfGM; whereas the 147 is run commercially by Bullocks and subsidised by the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, Royal Northern College of Music, and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust. The former serve a wide range of retail outlets and tend to be used by people who spend money in the city centre, whereas the latter is used almost exclusively by students.

The 147 does use Hybrid buses which were purchased using funds from DfT's Green Bus Fund. The Metroshuttle buses were purchased using funds from the same scheme and the route is partly subsided by TfGM, with other companies also providing funding such as Allied London (owners of Spinningfields.)

 

[Deerfold]

The Christmas Day services on Merseyside are free

As are the 3 Christmas Day services provided by Keighley Bus Museum.

 

[pemma]

The Christmas Day services on Merseyside are free

I think the reason for that is the bus services that operate are really for the benefit of the family and friends and people who have to spend Christmas in hospital.

 

[Mitch in Notts]

Ashbourne has a "Free Shopper Hopper" run by Glovers on Wednesday to Saturday only from Waterside Retail Park to the town centre (but not the bus station).

Nottinghamshire County Council also ran a couple of free shuttle buses in the Kimberly area last week due to a road closure (one to Nuthall Church and one to Phoinix Park).

AFAIK a few local link services in Nottingham are still free too, possibly the L2 Gamston-Silverdale

Nottinghamshire County Council ran one shuttle bus between Kimberley, Nuthall, Church & Phoenix Park. No one managed to see it or catch it & no one mentioned it was free!!

The L2 was withdrawn in September replaced by the L22/3 circulars. No fare information is given, so the L8 is the only likely still free locallink.

 

[Busaholic]

I think the reason for that is the bus services that operate are really for the benefit of the family and friends and people who have to spend Christmas in hospital.

Also, as with Keighley, there is a lot less bureaucracy involved about registration etc when services are free, so long as you don't make stipulations about who can or cannot be carried. None of the supermarket buses for instance can require you to shop or even to enter the supermarket itself: where I live the 20 minute interval Tesco service from the town centre seems to take quite a number of people who head straight off to nearby housing.

 

[Deerfold]

Also, as with Keighley, there is a lot less bureaucracy involved about registration etc when services are free, so long as you don't make stipulations about who can or cannot be carried. None of the supermarket buses for instance can require you to shop or even to enter the supermarket itself: where I live the 20 minute interval Tesco service from the town centre seems to take quite a number of people who head straight off to nearby housing.

Although Supermarket buses are fairly common, also near Keighley (and Bradford), there is the only farm shop with a free bus that I know about - the Keelham Farm Shopper Hopper runs several journeys one day a week between the shop, Thornton and Denholme on a circular route. Unfortunately the times are not easy to access online but it has now been running for 4 years.

 

[pemma]

Also, as with Keighley, there is a lot less bureaucracy involved about registration etc when services are free, so long as you don't make stipulations about who can or cannot be carried. None of the supermarket buses for instance can require you to shop or even to enter the supermarket itself: where I live the 20 minute interval Tesco service from the town centre seems to take quite a number of people who head straight off to nearby housing.

You could, however, say the bus fare is free for journeys towards the supermarket but not free for journeys away from it unless you have a supermarket receipt for the current day.

 

[Deerfold]

You could, however, say the bus fare is free for journeys towards the supermarket but not free for journeys away from it unless you have a supermarket receipt for the current day.

But, as Busaholic says, this complicated the registration process and requires 56 days' notice for any changes.

 

[pemma]

But, as Busaholic says, this complicated the registration process and requires 56 days' notice for any changes.

For cancellations 56 days notice isn't a lot by the time operators can only say they'll no longer run the service once the TC has accepted the cancellation.

 

[gordonthemoron]

aren't a lot of buses in the vicinity of heathrow free when going to/from the airport?

 

[Deerfold]

aren't a lot of buses in the vicinity of heathrow free when going to/from the airport?

Yes, there's the Heathrow FreeFlow Zone which includes all buses which transfer between Terminals and a few stops away in each direction.

I think it includes all local buses, TfL or not, except the pricey Hotel Hoppa buses which largely operate within the zone but stop closer to hotel front doors.

 

[Be3G]

I think it includes all local buses, TfL or not

It does indeed, a fact which is hinted at (but not explicitly stated, I admit) by TfL's Heathrow Central spider map.

 

[Busaholic]

You could, however, say the bus fare is free for journeys towards the supermarket but not free for journeys away from it unless you have a supermarket receipt for the current day.

Not at my local Tesco - the driver just drives the bus for whoever turns up. Perhaps a Tesco carrier bag might be diplomatically carried - the most downmarket diplomatic bag in history?:

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Perhaps a Tesco carrier bag might be diplomatically carried - :

...or worn over the head with eyeholes cut out (or maybe not depending on your outlook on life),

 

[pemma]

Not at my local Tesco - the driver just drives the bus for whoever turns up. Perhaps a Tesco carrier bag might be diplomatically carried - the most downmarket diplomatic bag in history?:

I'm saying what you could do to prevent it being a free for all, not describing what happens currently.

 

[Busaholic]

I'm saying what you could do to prevent it being a free for all, not describing what happens currently.

The one bus used on the service has a hard-enough job keeping to the 20 minute schedule: it's aquestion of getting one lot off and another lot on, with perhaps help needed with bags too, and if the wheelchair lift is needed that's probably the following journey missing given it's a 'welfare services' type bus that is used. I don't think anyone is ever left behind so everyone's fairly relaxed about it, a rare event in the rule-and-fare-obsessed public transport scene in Britain.
Incidentally, although I have no intention of attempting to quote the full list here, Wikipedia gives a very good summary of free bus services in Europe and North America. France in particular has far more than you might expect.