I SHOULD like to apologise to John Roe (Dis-service, SA July 29) for the curt reply he says he received when presented with information about fastFare and the revised bus services.

While not a defence, the person was not a Thamesdown Transport staff member but somebody employed by an outside agency which specialises in providing people for the bus industry to publicise changes.

Perhaps there is a lesson in this as to how such services should be provided in future.

What should have been explained to Mr Roe is that fastFare, which is used successfully in many other major towns and cities, has been introduced to speed up bus services, and for health and safety reasons.

Up to 20 per cent of bus journey time is spent waiting at bus stops whilst the driver dispenses change. With traffic in Swindon forecast to grow at double the national average, attracting people out of cars is essential for the future if gridlock is to be avoided. Speeding up bus journeys is vital to public transport playing its part in this.

JOHN OWEN

Managing Director

Thamesdown Transport