Bus fares are set to rise on the Oxford Tube coach service which runs between Oxford and London.

From Sunday March 20, an adult single ticket will rise to £12 and a return to £18.

A student single ticket will cost £11 and a return £16.

A one-week ticket from Oxford to London for an adult will be £63 and a four-week ticket £210.

An annual ticket between Oxford and London remains at £1,225.

Operator Stagecoach West will also withdraw some lesser-used tickets including 13 weeks tickets as well as Xtra and Annual tickets between Hillingdon and London.

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The transport company said its single and return fares "remain highly competitive in comparison to rail tickets, providing a good value alternative for travel to the capital".

It is among the first increases it has made to bus services in nearly two years.

Since 2019, costs across the bus industry have risen by around 12 per cent, mainly driven by fuel and staff wage increases, it said.

Rachel Geliamassi, managing director for Stagecoach West, said: “Stagecoach has consistently delivered some of the lowest ticket prices in the country and we are committed to continuing to keep fares as low as possible for our passengers.

“Like many sectors of the economy, bus operators are seeing significant cost inflation, primarily driven by increased fuel and staffing costs. At the same time, the money bus operators receive in fares to keep services running remains significantly below pre-pandemic levels.

“The changes we are making follows freeze of fares for nearly two years and are below the annual rise in inflation.

“As well as paying for the day to day running of the country’s vital bus networks, ticket costs help us to continue investing in improvements for our passengers and pay for bus workers who have worked hard to keep communities connected and services running during the pandemic.”

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The bus company is also simplifying its ticket types.

It will introduce a new day ticket bundle, Flexi 5, which will give passengers a 20 per cent saving on a DayRider, offering five days of travel for the price of four.

It is aimed at hybrid workers who are not in the office every day, or for those that need more flexibility.

Meanwhile the Gold Day and MegaRider tickets now cover the entire Stagecoach West network, offering unlimited travel across Oxfordshire, Swindon, Bristol, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

Less-used tickets such as 13-week, annual, and dedicated DayRider tickets will be withdrawn.