A KIDDERMINSTER Connecta bus journey will cost Wyre Forest residents an extra 20p from today.

The price of the daily ticket has increased from £3 to £3.20, a rise of almost seven per cent, while the weekly ticket is now £12.80 instead of £12.

Unlimited travel on all bus services – regardless of who operates them - across Kidderminster, Stourport and Bewdley is permitted through the Connecta scheme, which was set up in April 2013 by Worcestershire County Council in partnership with private firms.

Councillor John Smith OBE, cabinet member for highways at the local authority, said: "The prices have been reviewed both as a result of changes to commercial operators’ fare structures and the outcome of the recent public consultation into subsidised local bus services where the majority of responses indicated that a modest increase in fares could be considered in order to reduce the impact of any potential reductions in service.

"The Connecta still represents good value for money for those people who use more than one bus operator in their journeys.

"People who only use the services of one operator will still find it cheaper to buy that operator's own daily or weekly ticket."

The fare rises also apply to buses throughout Worcestershire including the County Connecta, Redditch Connecta and City Connecta services.