Bus Alliance members join forces to help customers cope with roadworks disruption
Arriva and First agree ticket sharing during closure periods.
27 February 2020
Cllr Kim Groves who chairs the West Yorkshire Bus Alliance and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transport Committee has welcomed work by local bus operators to help passengers during a major roadworks scheme in Leeds.
Bus companies First and Arriva have teamed up to accept each other’s tickets throughout March during a resurfacing project in the city’s Cross Gates area. The work, which starts on Monday 2 March, will mean the closure of the Station Road and Cross Gates roundabout between 7pm and 1am on weekdays.
Bus services affected will be number 9A, 11, 11A, 40, 56, 64, 163, 166, 403, X26 and X27.
The agreement between First Bus and Arriva means customers with pre-paid tickets using the buses on weekdays during this evening period only will be able to travel on either operator’s service. All ticket types will be accepted including digital products on smartphones and pre-paid smartcards.
Cllr Groves said: “This agreement is a great example of how, through the West Yorkshire Bus Alliance, bus operators are working together to put customers at the heart of their operations.”
Stuart Fillingham, Network & Schedules Manager at First West Yorkshire, said: “Together with Arriva we have agreed to this initiative, which is a great example of how we can work together to help customers.
“The road closures affect a number of routes and this is simple and sensible action we can take to make it easier for people to get home, go to work or go out for the evening when their usual journey has changed.”
“In agreeing to do this we are also able to support the huge efforts of our drivers, who often go above and beyond in difficult conditions.”