Bus company hikes prices to try and avoid significant cuts to routes
Bus companies are still facing rising costs and cannot grow services without more help, bosses say.
A Worcestershire bus company has put its prices up as it tries to avoid significant service cuts in the future.
Diamond Buses says it was regrettably increasing prices from Sunday as many routes are loss-making.
It said the decline in viability is linked to rising labour and operating costs and the lack of revenue growth.
But the company, which runs routes including those between Redditch and Worcester and Kidderminster and Halesowen, said its fares would be in line with other operators.
A driver shortage is also still plaguing the industry, with Yeomans Travel in Hereford axing its 74 route between the city centre and Newton Farm earlier in the year for that reason.
Louis Hotchkiss, from DRM Bus in Bromyard, said he felt his firm struggled more than those in Hereford, Worcester and other big cities.
He said: "Business is tough at the moment. It is a very hard struggle to find drivers.
"Young people don't really fancy being a bus driver anymore."
Over the winter, the Confederation of Passenger Transport warned that one in 10 bus driver jobs were vacant.
Mr Hotchkiss did say the Government's £2 single fare cap, now extended until the end of October, had been good.
He said the company had found it had got more people onto its services, but revenue had stayed the same.
After October, single fares on certain services from participating companies will still be subsidised by the Government, but at £2.50 instead. That extension is set to cost £200 million.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said at the time when the scheme was extended: "We’re making sure bus travel remains accessible and affordable for everyone while helping to ease cost of living pressures.
"Buses connect our communities and play a vital role in growing the economy; they transport people to work, take our kids to school and make sure patients can get to doctors’ appointments.
"That’s why we’re determined to protect local routes and encourage more people onto the bus, ensuring people can get around easily and in an affordable way."
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: "Taking the bus is the most popular form of public transport and millions of people rely on these vital services every day.
"That’s why we’re investing half a billion pounds to help people save money amid cost of living pressures and continue to level up transport in all parts of the country, doing our bit to help halve inflation and grow the economy."
Labour said it was not enough money to preserve bus services at current levels.