Fares will rise on the region's main bus operator from the beginning of next month after being 'frozen' since 2017.

Posting on their website, National Express West Midlands made the announcement saying that most fares haven't been increased in the last six years. Their day ticket is currently cheaper than in 2017 and some tickets are still the same price that they were nearly a decade ago.

The company stated that price rises are now needed to protect the bus network in the face of rising costs. Fuel, electricity, parts and labour have increased by 25% in the past three years while the number of people using buses remains around 90% of what it was before the pandemic. 

Fares will rise as follows:

• A single ticket will increase from £2.40 to £2.70
• An all day ticket is going up 50p from £4.00 to £4.50
• A one-week pass will be £17.00, up from £15.00 currently.

The Low Fare Zone is also being removed, but people can beat the day-ticket cost increase by using SwiftGo and getting a reduction of 50p. Bosses added that they were also reviewing whether the operator will participate in the Government’s forthcoming £2 fare cap scheme.

This is despite the Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, and Transport for West Midlands announcing in October 2022 that bus fare prices would be frozen until 2025, meaning that people will be able to hop on and off the region’s buses all day for the same price they would have paid in 2013.

The fare freeze announcement at this time was part of a wide ranging £88 million Bus Service Improvement Plan, which is being delivered to drive up passenger numbers and reduce private car use over the next three years.  

Further information is available on the price change son the nxbus West Midlands website.