BUS PASSENGERS will see a hike in prices for travel across the region at the end of the month.
Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) have announced that day and season bus tickets are set to rise by an average of six per cent at the end of June as the ‘industry struggles to meet the ongoing challenges of rising costs’.
TfWM said the decision will see the nbus day ticket rise by 30p to £4.80 and the four week fare rise from £60 to £64 and has been agreed by all bus operators in the TfWM area.
The single fare remains set at £2, capped under a funding agreement with the Department for Transport, until at least the end of this year.
In a statement TfWM said: “The increase ensures that the region’s bus network remains operating at current levels while an ongoing review, launched by TfWM last year, looks at the long-term sustainability of bus services.
“The review will be reported back to the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board next month.
“Bus operators are under acute financial pressures due to steep rises in the cost of fuel, maintenance and labour over recent years and stubborn passenger numbers which remain at around 90 per cent of pre-Covid 19 levels.
“TfWM, which is part of the WMCA, is already putting around £50million a year into the bus network to support essential services, avoid more substantial fare increases or service reductions.”
The authority said the new fares continue to offer great value to passengers and remain lower than equivalent fares in Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester.
Pete Bond, director of integrated transport services with TfWM, said: “Despite many challenges we have worked with bus operators since the pandemic to keep fare rises to an absolute minimum.
“And even though they are rising, fares remain great value for the many people who rely on buses day in and day out.
“At the same time we are working on plans to secure the long-term future of our bus network and will announce the results of the review in the coming weeks.”
For more details of the changes visit the TfWM website.
