Myself and my fellow Labour councillors are committed to finding as many ways as possible to support local people through the cost of living crisis. Whilst we can’t wave a magic wand over the terrible decisions made by the Tory government we will always do what we can.
This week a really important policy was passed by Labour councillors who sit on a strategic body known as the ‘Tyne and Wear Joint Transport Committee’. Amongst other things this group has influence over the operations of the Nexus Metro service. As I’ve written recently in another article the Metro network is absolutely critical to the economic prosperity of our borough. Tens of thousands of local residents rely on it for commuting, education, shopping and leisure. Businesses large and small depend on a smooth-running operation.
You will have noticed however that, like everything else, the cost of tickets has been creeping up in the last couple of years. Well, in the new year, the price of a ticket will be going DOWN not UP!
- An adult day saver ticket (all zones) is going to be capped at £4 (down from £5.70)
- A single fare (all zones) will be capped at £2 (down from £3.90).
For those using the Metro on a regular basis the savings will really stack up. For example if you use a metro day saver every day to get to and from work you will save £34 over a month. That’s a really big deal.
More information is going to be released soon but so far I understand that paper tickets will not benefit from this offer – you will need a Pop PAYG (pay as you go) card. Once you have one of these it can be topped up by cash or card at any ticket machine or online. If you don’t have a Pop card yet I would advise getting one asap so that you have it in good time for the start of the offer. Apply here.
The price cap will also apply to buses services that Nexus operate in the area. AND, remember that for families, up to 3 children under 11 get free journeys when travelling with a fare paying adult as well. www.nexus.org.uk/metro/take-kids-free
It might be a bit early to say it, but “Happy new year!”
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