Bus fares on one of the country's busiest bus networks are set to rise as subsidised tickets are axed.

Families travelling in East Sussex will no longer benefit from free tickets for their youngsters after a budget shakeup at the council.

The new fare changes will come into place on Monday - and not everyone is pleased to hear the news.

Parents could travel with up to four children on any Brighton and Hove bus in the city and around East Sussex at the cost of just one adult single ticket, however now they will be charged 50p per child as East Sussex County Council scrambles to save cash.

Tickets bought by children onboard buses in Brighton - instead of on the app - will also increase by four per cent.

Newhaven resident Linda Bramley said: "Poorer services, increasing prices. Train fares, bus fares, council tax, water rates."

David Bos added : "Driving a car will be cheaper again."

The Argus: A bus passing the Royal PavilionA bus passing the Royal Pavilion (Image: Andrew Gardner / The Argus)

While travelling with children is set to cost more, regular commuters will benefit the new fare scheme as 28-day season passes will now be valid for 30 days.

Ticket bundles for two, three and four days will now be split per day so there is flexibility on which days the tickets can be activated.

Passengers on routes 23 and 25, who currently pay £23 for a weekly pass - will now not be able to make the most of this deal and must buy a £25 citySAVER weekly pass instead.

Some citySAVER and networkSAVER tickets will see an increase in cost. The networkSAVER price cap for tap-on-tap-off contactless users will also change as a result.

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove Buses said: "Any increases are designed to help cover increased operating costs for fuel, energy, parts, and maintenance.

"Our updated fares will be live on our Ways to Pay section of the website from Monday 29th April 2024."

The £2 bus fares will remain the same until at least June 2024.