Preston Bus has apologised after over-charging passengers during the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.

Fares on Bank Holidays are capped at £1 under a government funded scheme.

But the bus firm, part of the Rotala group, was charging passengers £3 for their journeys – the standard price for a normal daytime journey.

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Andy Gill, who caught the 19 service on Good Friday, was one of those who was over-charged.

He told Blog Preston: “I travel from the Barracks to the Bus Station to catch an onward bus via Stagecoach to Garstang and then did the return journey later using the number 19.

“I told the driver in the morning it should be a pound but his inspector told him it was £3 when I got to the Bus Station.

“I double checked their website and showed the driver who rang his inspector who said he would have to check with his boss.

“On my return journey, I told the driver it should be a pound. He knew about it but had to charge £3 due to the system and then claim it back by an email address.

“I tried phoning to complain during Good Friday but couldn’t get through. Things like this really niggle with bus passengers like me and shouldn’t occur, especially when these holiday fares are subsidised by the government and us as taxpayers.”

Mr Gill has written a letter of complaint – seen by Blog Preston – to Preston Bus and Lancashire County Council.

He says the bus firm did not make clear to passengers there was a fault and relying on them to then claim back the difference was not acceptable.

At present bus journeys on Bank Holidays, all-day Sundays and after 7pm every day are capped at £1 to encourage travel. Daytime journeys are capped at £3 (after rising from £2) with the government subsidising the remainder of fares which bus firms can claim back.

Preston Bus confirmed there had been ‘technical issues’ during the Bank Holiday weekend.

A spokesperson for the bus firm said: “We apologise for the fare discrepancies experienced during the Easter Bank holidays this was due to a technical error. To ensure this does not happen again, we are actively working with all parties involved. If you were affected by this issue and can provide evidence of a valid ticket or of your purchase, please send this through to our customer service team at customer.care@rotala.co.uk to request a refund. Thank you for your understanding.”

A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council confirmed the price cap should have been in place and their highways team would be speaking to Preston Bus to understand what happened.

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