"Mark Thompson" wrote in message
93.157...
My cunning justification for spending money on a bike was that I would
save
on bus fares. But how depressing is it to find that a weekly pass for my
bus route now costs just TWO POUNDS A WEEK! Whatever happened to
inflation?!?

Mark.

Nothing to do with inflation, just deregulation and "fair" competition.

Along the Oxford/Wilmslow Road corridor, there is a plentiful market and
numerous companies, all competing with each other to increase market share.

Stagecoach, Magic Bus (ex-GM Stagecoach), R. Bullock's, Fingland's, U.K.
North all compete on the 42, and competition is healthy, resulting in lower
prices for the customer.

I think this is the only place in the UK where the "ideal" deregulated
market actually works. You can wait for a bus at 01:00am and four will turn
up (at the same time of course) to choose from.

Of course, it'd be far better if GM Buses was still running the show, they'd
be able to run non-stop from East Didsbury and make them all walk/cycle.

Charley