Residents have been warned they will have to pay an extra 90p for bus journeys in Coventry. Fares have increased across the city today (Sunday, January 5).
Adults will have to pay £2.90 instead of £2. No other fare changes will be introduced, National Express said.
Tickets will be cheaper than the Labour bus fare cap of £3, which was introduced on January 1. Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker, said his aim of introducing bus franchising would help keep fares lower, citing Greater Manchester as a place that has been able to keep single fares at £2.
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Antony Goozee, Bus Strategy and Commercial Director at National Express, said: “Bus is by far the most popular form of public transport here in the West Midlands, and we are proud to provide affordable bus travel for passengers across the communities that we serve.
“Our single fares will be cheaper than the £3 single fare cap, and all of our other fares remain unchanged, providing a range of great-value tickets and passes to suit our customers’ needs.”
Mayor Richard Parker said: “Thousands of people rely on our bus network for their daily commute to work or school, hospital appointments, trips to the shops, and days out. But despite getting £50m a year of public funding, we have no direct control over services, and people tell me they are unreliable and do not take them where they need to go.”
He added: “Leaders have backed my plans to progress to a public consultation on bringing buses under greater public control, which is a major step forward to making it a reality. I pledged to make our buses work for the people of the West Midlands, and already, we are starting to deliver on it.”