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Plusbus Greater Manchester

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185143

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Not sure if this is the right place to put this, but just been told by a bus driver that I cannot use a Manchester plusbus beyond 'Salford Station' and onto the guided busway. To avoid unnecessarily delaying the bus I have agreed to alight at Salford Central station.

The plusbus map seems to agree with the driver, the map calls it 'Manchester City (GM)', whilst the interactive street map shows all of greater Manchester, however only shows bus stops in the city centre(ish).

The wording of the website (www.plusbus.info) says its valid everywhere in Greater Manchester, defined by the map below. And gives both maps...

Used the plusbus on the busway last week several times with no trouble whatsoever last sunday for the record.

Who's right in all this?

UPDATE:Now on a Stagecoach bus and driver agrees with me. Stockport's plusbus is valid everywhere in Greater Manchester, so it is intended to be used that way.

UPDATE 2:TfGM travelshop say valid

UPDATE 3: I said jokingly to a friend 'At least the driver didn't take the view of 'I've not heard of it, its not valid' after another driver looked confused at it, but that seemed to be more from the point of what to press on the ticket machine. He was on a wayfarer and I got the response

'My driver just did!'

That was on a First Bus (again...), that wasn't Vantage.
 
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CyrusWuff

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PlusBus tickets for Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire, the West Midlands and West Yorkshire are valid throughout the relevant PTE area.

Journey Solutions (who operate PlusBus) encourage feedback where issues like this are encountered. Fill out the form at http://www.plusbus.info/ and they'll raise it with the relevant operator.
 
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185143

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PlusBus tickets for Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire, the West Midlands and West Yorkshire are valid throughout the relevant PTE area.

Journey Solutions (who operate PlusBus) encourage feedback where issues like this are encountered. Fill out the form at http://www.plusbus.info/ and they'll raise it with the relevant operator.
Ive emailed First who, from what I've heard with other people who have had issues with non-bus tickets (wayfarers ect), will do nothing.

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Bletchleyite

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That Plusbus website is terrible - not at all clear on validity.

I believe the correct answer is that it is valid and the bus driver is wrong. But if public information is that bad, I'm not surprised.
 

gray1404

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Ok well feedback to First. They they don't respond or do anything then take your complaint to the Bus Appeals Body (PM me for more info). Also let the people who run Plus Bus know. :)
 

Bungle965

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First Manchester have to be one of the worst companies if you have a complaint in Manchester. But i agree with what gray1404 always escalate any complaints to the Bus Appeals Body hopefully then you will find that you will get somewhere.
Sam
 

185

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It should be noted that FirstGroup are paid a substantial amount of money from the Plusbus income and a proviso of that is they ensure the relevant tickets are accepted.

In my opinion, it could be argued that a person has bought a ticket from an agent of the bus operator and that operator has failed to fulfil the purchased service.

Currently chasing Stagecoach for an identical refusal and £4.20 refund in for a 6-stop journey within Chester, as despite being within the area, driver insisted it was, "bcoz itz a 'Merseyside' bus".

The big three make a fortune from railway ticketing, and we should never lose sight of the fact that those companies are often the train company selling you the ticket in the first place. :)
 

Bungle965

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If you know that your ticket is definitely valid and if the service pattern is relatively low. I would just take a seat on the bus, if the driver does not like it tell him to take it up with control and ask them whether it is accepted.
Not a great scenario I admit but at least you would not be stranded.
Sam

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gray1404

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I've done this with Brighton and Hove buses when I've had issues with my "out of area" concessionary bus pass not working on their card readers. I have complained on every occasion my valid ticket has not been accepted. They have always apologised and have put a reminder in the staff newsletter about processing valid tickets. The company have told me to tell the driver to contact control in the event of any doubt. On every occasion I have said: "I am positive my ticket is valid. I am happy for you to contact control to verify this." that has resulted in them not even bothering and just accepting the ticket.

(when I'm using a night bus though in the early hours having come out of a club, that when I hate having such conversations).
 

sheff1

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If you know that your ticket is definitely valid and if the service pattern is relatively low. I would just take a seat on the bus, if the driver does not like it tell him to take it up with control and ask them whether it is accepted.

I have done this in both Chester and Glasgow. In Chester the driver just drove on, in Glasgow they phoned control who told them it was valid. The Glasgow driver then tried to claim it was not his fault as no one had told him - the possibility that, when presented with something he didn't recognise, he might wish to check before refusing to accept it was clearly too difficult a concept for him to grasp.

I used the Plusbus contact form (as suggested in post #2) after the Chester incident but received no acknowledgement nor subsequent response so did not bother after Glasgow.
 

Bletchleyite

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(when I'm using a night bus though in the early hours having come out of a club, that when I hate having such conversations).

Are you sure it was actually valid? Night buses are not included in the national scheme by default. Councils can offer greater acceptance, but that tends to be only for their own passes.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
If you know that your ticket is definitely valid and if the service pattern is relatively low. I would just take a seat on the bus, if the driver does not like it tell him to take it up with control and ask them whether it is accepted.

The risk there is of the London scenario. Driver stops engine, gets newspaper out and waits. Large, threatening looking passenger physically throws you off. Driver drives away before you can get any evidence on who it was.
 

Bungle965

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Are you sure it was actually valid? Night buses are not included in the national scheme by default. Councils can offer greater acceptance, but that tends to be only for their own passes.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


The risk there is of the London scenario. Driver stops engine, gets newspaper out and waits. Large, threatening looking passenger physically throws you off. Driver drives away before you can get any evidence on who it was.
If it is in London then just wait for the next one I'm sure it won't be that long. But I accept the point. You just have to weigh it up.
Sam
 

gray1404

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Are you sure it was actually valid? Night buses are not included in the national scheme by default. Councils can offer greater acceptance, but that tends to be only for their own passes.

Before using the pass on Night buses I checked with the Brighton and Hove bus company. They confirmed that it is valid on their services with an N prefix subject to the normal time restrictions of the pass (i.e. travel allowed 09.30am to 11pm Monday to Friday and anytime Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays).

So yes, I am sure.
 

gray1404

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Effective the end of this month normal fares will be getting charged on Night Bus services in Brighton. However, until then and all times I've used the night buses there they have been charging a premium fare. I would assume the bus company would still get paid the normal amount they would get for a "normal time" journey, even if on the night bus.
 
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