'There's a lot more month than money, get this sorted and you'll have one less thing to worry about'
manchestereveningnews.co.ukA new bus ticket scheme has been launched in an attempt to give passengers ‘one less thing to think about’. The new scheme will allow regular commuters to buy an annual Bee Network bus pass through a credit union, so they can repay the cost in weekly or monthly instalments.
A manifesto pledge of Andy Burnham’s from May, the mayor said the initiative will come in from January 5 — when the remaining half of Greater Manchester’s buses come into the Bee Network.
The move means passengers will be able to save £5 per week compared to buying a weekly or monthly ticket, Mr Burnham said on Thursday (September 5).
Ciara Davies, boss of Rochdale credit union Metro Moneywise, said it will give those on lower incomes ‘one less thing to think about’. READ MORE: Mass grave found in Greater Manchester town She told a press conference at Eccles bus station: “People love having one less thing to think about, so if you know upfront that you’ve got your annual travel to work sorted for that year [it’s one less thing to think about]. “For a lot of people there’s a lot more month than money, so if you get to the end of the month and wonder how you’re going to get to work, this annual bus pass will say you’ve got that sorted and give people a lot of reassurance.” Some customers will also be able to pay for their annual pass via payroll, so the instalments would be automatically deducted from their pay packets, Ms Davies added. ‘Affordability checks’ will be conducted to ensure only those that shoulder the cost of the £800 pass, and for those who just join a credit union to access the pass, there will be no joining fees.
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