If bus fares needed to rise, as Roger French insists, then a 10p rise on a £1 fare may have been just about acceptable.

But a 20 per cent rise cannot be excused by any amount of talking.

A lot of people of all ages and all walks of life, not only pensioners but also part-time workers and people on low incomes, will be put under pressure to find the extra cash.

The fares would not rise by 20 per cent if this bus company did not have the monopoly on bus transport in the city.

A bit of healthy competition from another bus company would be no bad thing.

-S Poole, Hove