Season Tickets and Recreational Travel in Greater Manchester
'A Fare Deal For You' over the last century (Page 5)
Contents
- Introduction
- Diminishing Returns
- On Board for Increased Patronage
- Ticketing Timeline
- Tickets Past and Present
The Tickets
- Clippercard: (1979 - 2004) allowed users 10 single journeys for the price of 9. Today's equivalent would be 'Une Carnet' style tickets offered by the Paris Metro and the London Underground, albeit in electronic rather than card form;
- SaverSeven: (1975 - 1990) advertised as being 'just the ticket for buses and trains', available in 4 different zones. Replaced by today's System One Countycard, Traincard and Buscard tickets. Launch price (1975): £2.50;
- SaverMonthly and SaverAnnual: (1983 - 1990) yearly and 28 day equivalents of the SaverSeven. Replaced by today's System One Countycard, Traincard and Buscard tickets;
- Teen Travel Club: (1983 - 1995) launched to deter 16 - 17 year olds from taking up driving lessons. The predecessor of today's Young Persons' and Student bus only System One tickets were descended from the 16 - 19 season ticket (1986 - 1995);
- Wayfarer: (1981 - to date) previously known as the Peak Wayfarer, allowing a day's unlimited travel in Greater Manchester, parts of Derbyshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire and Lancashire by bus, train and (since 1998) Metrolink. Since 1996, weekend versions have been made available. Launch price (1981): £2.50;
- Sunday Rover: (1982 - 1986) 'hound around for a pound' so cried their 1983 advertising slogan! This ticket allowed access to all buses in Greater Manchester on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Launch price (1982): 80p;
- Busabout: (1987 - 1993) GM Buses' series of 1 day, 7 day and 28 day season tickets, allowing unlimited travel on GM Buses services. Discontinued and replaced by the SuperGeM range of tickets following the split of GM Buses;
- SuperGeM: (1993 - 2001) the forerunner of GM Buses' Busabout tickets, for use on both GM Buses North and GMS Buses services (and latterly First Manchester and Stagecoach Manchester). Abolished in 2001 following EU competition rules;
- Tripper 7: (1993 - 2001) Pennine's own weekly ticket for use on all Pennine (later First Pennine) services;
- The Big Orange: (1993 - 2001) GM Buses North's single operator weekly season ticket for all routes, available to purchase on the bus. Replaced by FirstGroup's FirstWeek and FirstMonth season tickets;
- Bury Segment (1993 - 1998) A lower price weekly season ticket, bought on the bus for GM Buses North routes within the Bury area;
- Moston Slice (1993 - 1998) A lower price weekly season ticket, bought on the bus for GM Buses North routes from Moston to Manchester;
- System One Daysaver tickets: (1998 - to date) to complement its existant range of weekly and monthly tickets came a range of one day bus only, bus/train, tram/train, bus/tram, and bus/train/tram tickets. Launch prices (1998): £3.00, £3.50, £4.50, £5.00 and £7.00;
- Network 7: (1994 - 1997) GMS Buses' bought on the bus 7 day ticket. Renamed 'Manchester Mega Rider' in 1997 by new owners Stagecoach Holdings who acquired GMS Buses in March 1996;
- FirstDay (2001 - to date) FirstGroup's national brand name for day rover tickets. Launched in Greater Manchester in 2001 with a launch price of £2.00. Validity of Greater Manchester FirstDay extended to West Yorkshire and Lancashire the following year.
Bibliography:
- Greater Manchester Buses, Stewart J. Brown; Capital Transport (1995);
- Various bus maps and leaflets covering Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Transport Publicity Office/GMPTE (1974 - 2009);
Stuart Vallantine,
Tuesday 14th July 2009
