Exit Zone Card enter the Saver range

5 September sees the launch of the new Saver ticket range which replaces the Travelcard, Metro Saver and Zone Card tickets. The Travelcard dates back to 1985 but became a tourist focused ticket in 1988 when the Residents Club was launched with Yellow and Green Flexicards for locals. February 1989 saw these replaced by Gold and Silver Cards. The former cost £8.50 for one week and was valid throughout the bus and tram network with the £5.50 Silver card valid from St. Annes to Cleveleys and Poulton.

April 1989 saw a day version of the Travelcard introduced and in 1994 the Gold/Silver cards were replaced by the Zone Card after the takeover of Fylde. The residents club became the Seasiders club A one zone ticket cost £7.00 and an all zone one £9.00. Zones included North (Cleveleys to Fleetwood), Central (Cleveleys-St. Annes and Poulton), South (St. Annes to Lytham) and Rural (Kirkham/Wesham-Lytham) - though the last two were merged in February 1997.

A one day zone card was introduced in 2000 but was later replaced by the 'Metro Return' (still a day ticket but initially for Central zone only) in late 2001. This initially required a Seasiders Club card to prove residential eligibility. In due course this was dropped so anyone could buy the ticket and its validity was restricted to buses only. The curious Metro Return name was replaced by Metro Saver.

The new range is available to all with no identity card required which means that Travelcard using tourists get a significant saving (up to £2.50 for a day and over £10 for a week) and the tram is once again integrated into the ticketing structure. The £10.50 (North/South), £12.50 (central) and £14.50 (all zones) Zonecard are replaced by a weekly saver at £13.50 and the Day Saver ticket now costs £4.00 (or £3.50 off bus). The full range is:

• On Bus Sales: Day £4 (adult), £2 (child), £9 (family)
• Off Bus Sales: Day £3.50 (adult), £2 (child), £9 (family)
• 3 Day Savers £10.50
• 7 Day Savers £13.50 (adult), £7 (child)
• Monthly Saver £50.00

At the same time single fares will be simplified with fewer values - most fares being increased at the same time.