Bus travel for students at NPTC Group of Colleges is being made easier through new technology and discounted fares.
The College and bus operator First Cymru have been working together to help ease the journey to and from college and technology is playing its part, with the introduction of the mticket app.
The app allows tickets to be bought and stored on the phone any time of the day so there’s no worry about finding lost tickets or forgetting loose change for the fare. A range of tickets including weekly and monthly can also be purchased in advance. Passengers will just need their phone to scan their mobile tickets when boarding the bus, speeding up the process.
Discounted travel is also being offered through a Welsh Government scheme mytravelpass. The Pass will provide people in Wales aged 16 to 18 with a third discount off their bus travel.
The scheme has been introduced following consultations and offers the most efficient and best value for money option for students. Unfortunately, the College has faced continued reductions to its core funding over many years, and has already had to absorb the removal of Local Authority subsidies for travel; these factors coupled with the increased in costs for First Cymru meant that the charges that would have had to be made to students for the old style bus passes would have been prohibitive.
Welsh Government has looked at a number of options along with NPTC Group of Colleges and the introduction of mytravelpass has now been approved which will allow students to continue accessing education and allow unlimited travel in the Swansea Bay area for as little as £2.31 a day.
Bus tickets can now be purchased through the mticket app, available from the app store or from google play via a smart phone, but for further information contact www.firstgroup.com/cymru also visit mytravelpass.gov.wales to sign up and start saving.
