Lothian announces fares increase across West Lothian bus services

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Bus fares on routes across West Lothian are set to increase.Lothian announced this week that fares will be revised across its Lothiancountry services in West Lothian from Sunday, April 2.A day ticket will now cost £5 - 50p more than before and adult single fares will increase by 20p, while adult DAYtickets will increase by 50p.Lothian’s season ticket, Ridacard, which was last increased in 2020 will also see an increase, along with airport fares and child tickets.Sarah Boyd, managing director at Lothian, said: “As one of Edinburgh’s main local employers, we are committed to developing and contributing to the economic and social wellbeing of our operating area and communities, and delivering an inclusive and accessible bus service which represents value for money.“With operating costs continuing to rise, we will be making changes to our fares from 2 April in order to prioritise investment in our fleet, our people and our customer offering.

While no fare increase is welcome and we are aware of the cost pressures being faced by our customers, we strongly believe our fares continue to represent excellent value for money.“In the three years since we last undertook a fares review, our business has encountered a number of challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic, industry-wide recruitment shortages and continually rising costs.“With patronage still not at pre-pandemic levels and all fares revenue going directly back into the running of our business, it is therefore vital that as a commercial bus operator we make decisions now that will futureproof the viability of our network for our customers and our colleagues.“As we look to the future, our priorities and focus will remain on rebuilding Lothian and taking positive steps