PASSENGERS who travel on Stagecoach buses have reacted angrily increases in the cost of fares, due to be brought in from this Sunday (August 3).

There has been concern about the amount of information put out by the company. One passenger, who did not wish to be named, said: "I heard about the price rises from a friend who said she had overheard a driver talking about it.

"This is the first that we have heard about it – there is nothing on the buses, or at the bus stops or even in the bus station in Gloucester.

"It is as if they wanted to keep it a secret."

Stagecoach has said posters were placed on the relevant buses.

The passenger claimed: "The only posters that are on the buses today (Tuesday) are about changes to the timetables due to the school holidays. There is nothing about fare increases at all."

She added: "A lot of people turn up for the bus with the right money – and this is appreciated by the drivers – but quite a few will only have that money with them.

"What happens then? If they don't know about the fare rise they will have to miss their bus, which is awful."

Stagecoach West's marketing manager Nathan Griffith-Willliams said: "As a result of rising costs, from Sunday August 3, most single and return fares will rise by 10p or 20p with the maximum return fare set to be £6.50 for adults and £4.70 for children.

"Those fares that change were last altered in the summer of 2013.

"Despite these rising costs – including labour, energy, fuel and insurance we are delighted to inform our customers that dayrider and megarider tickets are remaining at their current prices."