- Extra 150,000 customer journeys per week across Greater Manchester
- Customer satisfaction increasing with service improvements & lower fares
NEW figures show that the number of people using First buses in Greater Manchester is on the rise. Compared to the same period last year First is now welcoming on board an extra 150,000 customers a week.
Over the last 12 months First has introduced a range of service improvements that have driven up satisfaction levels and attracted more customers onto the bus. The improvements include lower fares, more journeys on time, and investment in new buses delivering the latest in customer comfort.
In April 2013, First reduced bus fares by up to 28%. The cheaper Day, Week and Month tickets have been a big hit with customers looking for value for money offers in economically difficult times.
Service reliability has improved by closely managing services and introducing timetable improvements – leading to around 93%* of journeys starting on time.
Customers have also welcomed the introduction of over 150 buses in the last 12 months. This £30m investment has delivered the latest standards of service quality for customers including routes in Manchester City Centre, Oldham, Rochdale, Tameside, Salford and Bolton.
Councillor Andrew Fender, Chair of the TfGM Committee, has praised First for encouraging more people to use its buses – saying: “This is great news and testament to First’s committed approach to service improvements.
“For some time this Committee has been working to have more consistent fare levels across bus operators in Greater Manchester, and it’s no accident that since First reduced fares, their passenger numbers have risen considerably.”
First is now planning to build on this success into 2014 with a continued focus on service reliability and further investment in services. This includes over £1m in the roll-out of wifi across Manchester and the introduction of GPS vehicle tracking technology to provide customers with real time bus running information, and improve the punctuality of bus timetables. These initiatives are part of First’s plans to attract more people onto buses by working closely with local councils & TfGM.
Dave Alexander, regional managing director for First in Greater Manchester said: “I am delighted that we have seen this impressive 8% customer growth on our buses in Greater Manchester.
“Over the last 12 months we have invested heavily in improving our service delivery standards with new vehicles and the transformation of our business across the region. We have more to do but the feedback from customers confirms that we are making good progress.
“This has given us the confidence to introduce fares reductions to address local affordability issues and further improve value for money.
“All these improvements and our further investment plans are delivering better services for our customers and help us to attract new customers from other modes of transport such as the car.”
Ends
NOTES TO EDITORS:
* Results from April-September 2013
For more information contact Duncan McGraw, First UK Bus PR Manager, on 07889095726.