STAGECOACH is set to hike its fares across the North-east as rising costs take their toll.
The bus operator will lift single fares by around 7%, while various other ticket types such as day returns and MegaRider tickets will also see increases.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
Why? Free to subscribe, no paywall, daily business news digest.
The price jump will impact services across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray from March 31.
The firm says its down to facing “increasing operational costs above inflation”, but has assured customers that they’ll maintain investment in their fleet.
A spokesperson said: “Like other businesses, industries and households, we are faced with increasing operational costs above inflation, including staff costs, vehicle parts, maintenance, insurance and utilities.
“An annual increase to our fares and tickets is therefore necessary to address these increasing costs. By doing so we can continue to invest in our fleet, our people and our facilities, and strive to provide reliable and sustainable bus services for the communities we serve.
“Whilst we recognise that a fares increase will be unpopular when households are also facing rising costs, we strongly believe our fares continue to offer great value for people using the bus regularly.
“Our numerous multi-journey options offer unlimited travel across specific travel zones – the more you travel, the more you save – and products like Flexi 5 support those who may travel less often or need a bit more flexibility by offering five DayRider tickets for the price of four.”
