Fares on Stagecoach buses across Ayrshire have now increased by an average of 15 per cent.

The price hike came into force yesterday (Sunday, April 2).

Announcing the fare rise last month, Fiona Doherty, managing director of Stagecoach West Scotland, said: “With operating costs continuing to rise, we will be making changes to our fares from  April 2 to prioritise investment in our people, our fleet and our customers. 

“We understand the cost-of-living pressures our customers face, and we realise that fare increases are not welcome however, we strongly believe our fares still represent good value for money."

New fares across Ayrshire include £4.80 for an adult DayRider, £15.10 for a seven day 'Megarider' and £33.60 for a 'flexi 10' bundle of tickets.

Stagecoach said they had encountered several challenges including the global Covid 19 pandemic, industry-wide recruitment shortages, and rising costs.

The cost-of-living crisis has impacted businesses, and there have been significant increases to its three largest costs – wages, fuel, and engineering parts.

They said that with bus passenger numbers still needing to return to the pre-pandemic level, it was vital that Stagecoach made decisions that would future-proof the viability of its network for their customers and colleagues.