YORK’S biggest bus operator has said its fares are to be frozen for the “foreseeable future”.

First says it wants to increase passenger numbers across North Yorkshire, so its range of bus tickets will be maintained at current levels.

Managing director Ian Humphreys said that in recent months the company had demonstrated that by trying a new and innovative way of marketing its services, more people had been encouraged onto its buses.

“A comprehensive price freeze on all our tickets makes them even better value for money, especially at a time when fuel is going up and general goods face a VAT rise in January,” he said.

“We are working hard to keep our costs down and we will keep them as low as possible for as long as we can.”

He said the freeze was part of the company’s wider business plan for the region. “Over the next few months, we will launch a range of initiatives that will continue to aim to grow the number of people using our buses.”

A spokesman said the decision meant a passenger on a First bus would still be able to travel for under £1.75 a day, based on a First4Week ticket costing £50, which over 28 days came out at £1.73 a day.

He said: “It is a very competitive price for a service running seven days a week early in the morning to late at night and compared to the cost of running a car, notably parking prices and the rising cost of fuel.”