A BUS firm has announced it is "reluctantly" increasing ticket prices.

Morebus said it has not taken the decision lightly and the price rises, which come into effect from February 2022, have been kept to an "absolute minimum".

A spokesperson for the company said: "We have carefully reviewed the cost of running our services, after a challenging two years, and have reluctantly increased some ticket prices.

"This is not a decision we have taken lightly. We have kept any prices rises to an absolute minimum. Some of our single and return fares will not be changing at all, and others will increase by between 10p and 50p.

"This is our first rise since 2019 - and our ticket prices still compare very favourably.

"Some of our day tickets and period passes have slightly increased with the best value tickets being available via our mobile app

"For single and day tickets we recommend you use Tap On Tap Off paperless ticketing."

Adult and child dayrider tickets in zone A of the Morebus network have increased by 20 pence for paper and app tickets.

Tickets for unlimited single day use in zone AB have increased by 10 pence.

Child dayrider tickets for zone ABC went up by 20 pence, while adults have risen by 30 pence, since February 7.

Group tickets for up to five people have increased by 50 pence for each of the zone categories.

There are also price rises for dayrider bundle, weekly, monthly and annual tickets, with a £20 increase on a zone A annual ticket and a £15 rise for zone AB annual tickets.