Anger at New Year bus fare rise

Prices are to rise by well over the rate of inflation, with average fares increasing 7.5 per cent—and some monthly passes jumping nearly nine per cent

Most single tickets are to go up between 10p and 30p and county-wide day fares will rise from £4.50 to £4.80

Regular travellers will feel the biggest jolt, with a South Yorkshire First Month pass going up from £68 to £74.70—nearly £20 more than the £55 it costs in Greater Manchester.

An adult single ticket which currently costs £2.20 will leap to £2.40 and a £3.20 ticket jumps to £3.50 overnight.

The price of a First Week Rotherham ticket will rise from £15 to £16, while a First Month Rotherham ticket will rise from £54 to £58.

First Group said the fare hike is needed to meet rising pension and staff costs and comes at the end of a difficult year for the business.

But the company was slammed by councillors, who warned that the hike threatened the annual agreement with First and the South Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority.

The SYITA believes the increases are unhelpful and could drive away custom from the buses.

Some councillors have blamed the Labour government for failing to reverse Tory privatisation of the bus service and called for buses to be handed over to local control.

Rotherham SYITA member Cllr Richard Russell said he supported the authority's chairman Cllr Mick Jameson, who condemned the rises as "unjustifiable."

Cllr Russell believed the rises were unhelpful in the current environment but said it was out of the authority's control.

Brandon Jones, First South Yorkshire's deputy managing director, said the Sunday January 3 price change was needed to meet rising costs.