With immediate effect, Stagecoach's popular Under-19s DayRider will not be valid after 19.00hrs on services 1/1A, 2X, 6A, 40 and 100 between Lancaster Bus Station and Morecambe/Heysham. The tickets remains valid at all times on other services as well as between the Bus Station and Lancaster University on services 1A and 100.
Managing Director, Rob Jones, told the Bus Users' Group:
"Sadly we have been seeing large groups of youths travelling on our services in that area, causing a nuisance and have needed to have police assistance on a number of occasions. The flexibility of our DayRider meant they could spend all evening just travelling around and causing mischief, leading to some very difficult and stressful situations for our drivers. Lancashire Police are aware of this restriction too.
The change, which Mr. Jones said had been made reluctantly, is for a temporary period and will be reviewed in four weeks time.
In order to ensure that young people making genuine journeys are not out-of-pocket a special Under-19 return fare, priced at £2.60 - the same as a DayRider - has been made available to purchase on the sections of route concerned and can be bought at any time of day, so that someone needing to be in Lancaster between, say, 12.00hrs and 20.00hrs can still travel for £2.60 even though the DayRider is not valid after 19.00.
The Bay Area Under-19 DayRider gives unlimited travel (with the above exception) in an area stretching from Silverdale to Galgate (Hampson Green) and Overton to Denny Beck. The Under-19 Lancashire Day Rider, which covers a wider area at a higher fare is not affected.
