Bus passengers in Dorset will be hit by yet another fare increase next week.

From Wednesday, June 19, all but three return fares on journeys operated by First Wessex will increase by 50p.

As well as this, some fares are being raised by £1 and some adult single fares are increasing by 50p.

It comes after several fares across the network were increased in November last year, in what the company called a “minor” change.

Routes affected by the new increase include across-Dorchester journeys which will increase from £2 to £2.50 for an adult single ticket. Journeys between Charmouth and Dorchester will see a new adult single price of £6, up from £5.50, and journeys from Lyme Regis to Dorchester will cost £7 instead of £6.50.

However, First Wessex says return fares for Charmouth - Dorchester (£7.50) and Lyme - Dorchester (£9), will remain the same.

The majority of adult single fare increases will affect west Dorset passengers in Bridport, Charmouth, Axminster and Lyme Regis.

First Bus user Jackie Isbell said a lot of people are unhappy about the increase.

She said: "There's lots of people who can't afford the 50p a day increase.

"Parents will struggle financially to get kids to school, especially if there's more than one child. It's all right for First to say 'use the app' but it's forever going down and then people are being left on the kerbside.

"I would suggest that the increase is not taken out on the drivers, but people should email or call First head office."

A First Wessex spokesman said: "We are increasing some single and return fares in Dorset on Wednesday June 19.

"First in Dorset offers some 225 adult single fares. 96 per cent of single fares are unaffected by this annual fare change.

"A small number of fares (14 fares to be precise, representing 6 per cent of all adult single fares) will increase by 50p, which will also affect adult return, child single and child return fares.

"In addition, the company will change the way it calculates return fares in Dorset, which means that return fares will increase by 50p. Very few adult return fares will go up by £1."

A full list of changes can be viewed on the First Wessex website.

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