BUS passengers will be hit with a second inflation-busting price rise in 12 months, transport chiefs have announced.

First Manchester, the biggest bus company operating in Bolton, is to raise fares by up to 10 per cent from Sunday.

The cost of the popular FirstWeek pass, which gives unlimited travel for seven days, will rise from £12 to £13 - or 8.3 per cent - while the cost of a £2 single fare goes up by 10 per cent to £2.20.

The minimum £1 fare remains unchanged, as do child, concessionary and family tickets.

Tickets priced £1.30 and £1.60 will rise by 10p. Those priced £2, £2.60 and £3.80 will rise by 20p.

The announcement has caused anger among passenger groups and transport watchdogs who are trying to coax commuters back on to public transport.

The increases follow prices rises in April, which saw weekly passes increased from £11 to £12 and 10p added to all single fares.

It is the seventh rise by First Manchester in 30 months.

Managers blame the increased fares on rises in fuel prices and the need to bring in new buses.

Cllr Nick Peel, Bolton Council's representative on Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority, said: "It's bad news when we are striving to get more commuters back on to the bus and rail network.

"Of all the reasons that the public are turning their back on buses, price comes top of the list and rises like this make it prohibitive to catch a bus for short journeys.

"This is another clear signal that now is the time to pass some control of bus services back to local authorities."

Simon Bennett, network director for First Manchester, said: "Commercial cost pressures across all areas of our business throughout 2006 have resulted in the fare adjustment.

"Fuel and general energy cost increases were two of the significant factors. Despite our best efforts to minimize the steady stream of increasing costs, a point has been reached where we have no alternative but to adjust fares.

"Within the new fares structure, there are no increases to child, concessionary or family tickets and FirstDay, FirstWeek and FirstMonth tickets remain highly competitive."

By comparison, an Arriva Day Ticket for the Bolton and Wigan areas is £2.80.

Arriva, which also runs buses in Bolton, said yesterday that it had no plans to put up fares.

LATEST PRICE INCREASES ARE GREETED WITH DISMAY BY PASSENGERS

Andrew Still, aged 35, from Daisy Hill, said: "I catch buses as many as four times a day because I've got family spread out all over. It's costs a lot of money and I've got a child to spend my money on."

Pauline Edge, aged 45, from Daubhill, catches the bus every night to get to work. She said: "It's not on. Our wages don't go up to match, do they?"

Andrew Kearsley, aged 18, from Bolton, said: "I travel to college every day from Deane Road. It annoys me. The fares are a damn sight dearer than they should be."

Luke Eurnston, aged 20, uses the buses regularly to collect his jobseekers allowance and visit his family. He said: "I'm not happy at all that my weekly pass is going up. They go up all the time."

Mrs Bragg, aged 50, from Deane, said: "It's cheaper for me to get a taxi now. I won't get the bus if these prices go up any more."

Bev Gaskell, aged 42, from Deane, said: "It's scandalous that the fares have gone up again. I get the Arriva bus because First Manchester is too dear."

HOW PRICES HAVE RISEN SINCE 2004

  • May 2004: Fares on First services rise by up to 16 per cent, with adult single fares rocketing 16 per cent from 60p to 70p.
  • May 2005: The Bolton News reveals that First Manchester has "revised" its fares four times in the last 12 months, meaning an overall rise of between six and 14 per cent.
  • June 2005: A 10p increase in added to the cost of First Manchester's fares l September 2005: Weekly fares go up from £10 to £11.
  • April 2006: Weekly passes rise from £11 to £12 while single fares go up by as much as 28.6 per cent, with an average 10p added to each single fare.
  • January 2007: Weekly passes increase from £12 to £13 and £2 fares rise to £2.20.

HOW FARES WILL GO UP

Current Fare/New Fare
£1/No change
£1.30/£1.40
£1.60/£1.70
£2/£2.20
£2.60/£2.80
£3.80/£4
FirstDay ticket (unlimited travel)£3.30/£3.50
FirstWeek £12/£13
FirstMonth £42/£45