Bus fares are set to rise as operators struggle to cover costs

West Midlands bus fares will rise at the end of the month as operators struggle to meet costs. Transport for the West Midlands has announced that day and season ticket prices will increase by an average of six per cent, a move which has been agreed by all bus operators in the area.

This means, for example, the Nbus day pass rises by 30p to £4.80 and the four-week fare rises from £60 to £64. 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.

The news comes just weeks after new West Midlands mayor Richard Parker announced plans to bring bus franchises under public control. A spokesman for the authority said this was still on the table and a review of bus services was being undertaken.

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They added that despite the increase, the new fares remain lower than equivalent fares in Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester. A total of 232 million journeys a year are made on buses in the West Midlands, with tens of thousands using the services every day.

But the authority said bus operators are under acute financial pressure due to steep increases in fuel, maintenance and labor costs in recent years and stubborn ridership, which remains at around 90% of pre-Covid 19 levels .

Pete Bond, director of integrated transport services at TfWM, said: “Despite many challenges, we have worked with bus operators since the pandemic to keep fare increases to a minimum. And even though they’re going up, rates remain a great value for many people. which relies 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.” Full details of the changes are available from bus operators or via the TfWM website.