BUS fares across East Lancashire have been increased by an average 3.3per cent by Lancashire County Council.

The price hike, affecting 103 routes, was introduced on Saturday on all county council-subsidised bus services as part of an annual fares review.

While the county council is responsible for setting the fares on these bus services, the 1985 Transport Act states that fares on subsidised services should not be lower than those fares offered commercially.

Fares charged on those bus services which directly operate alongside commercial routes, for example those services which are provided commercially during the day and are subsidised in the evening, or where they overlap commercial routes, have been revised to match exactly the ‘adult single fares’ charged on commer-cial bus services.

Tim Gornall, Lancashire County Council’s bus and transport manager, said: “Lancashire County Coun-cil invests just under £6million each year to subsidise routes that would not be commercially viable for private operators to run.

“By law, councils can’t undercut commercial fares and we have to match fares on subsidised routes where commercial services are provided during the day, but subsidised in the evening.

“Lancashire has a good reputation nationally for safeguarding these services, which are vital for sustaining local communities.”

But bus passengers were not happy about the hikes.

Mark Chatburn, 23, from Blackburn, said: “The prices always seem to be going up and there never seems to be a sensible reason for it.

“At the end of the day, it’s the passengers who get the rough deal.”

Sarah Holmes, 54, from Blackburn, said: “I’ve been using these buses for years and the prices are just going up all the time.

“It’s not fair for those people who depend on the services, but struggle to afford them.”