A bus operator is set to hike its prices this weekend in a blow for passengers travelling across Kent.

Stagecoach has announced most single and return fares will increase on Sunday - with those in Dover and Deal set to be hit the hardest by the charges - with rises of 40% on a day ticket.

The maximum hike will be 40p on a single and for a return it will be 70p.

Child singles will also increase by a maximum of 30p and returns for youngsters will go up by an average of 50p.

The price of DayRider tickets will also be bumped up, but the firm is freezing the charge of most MegaRider tickets and reducing the cost of its EveningRider ticket.

Bosses at Stagecoach say the rises are driven by increases in fuel, pay and other overheads.

It has been revealed DayRider fares in Dover and Deal and in Maidstone and Swale will cost £6.30 for adults and £4.50 for those under 19.

This means adult passengers in Dover and Deal will see an extra £1.80 added to their ticket. Those under 19 will pay £1.30 extra, which is a hike from £3.20.

Meanwhile, a new Dover travel zone will also be introduced from Sunday, details of which can be found here.

The Local DayRider ticket will rise from £4.50 to £5 and from £3.20 to £3.60 for those under 19.

South East DayRiders will be increased by 70p from £7.30 to £8, and by 50p to £5.70 for young people.

But there is some good news as the price of the Kid for a Quid - which is an add-on ticket for accompanied children - will be frozen at £1 per child.

And the EveningRider ticket will be reduced from £5 to £3.60, which offers unlimited travel across the entire Stagecoach bus network in Kent and East Sussex after 6pm in the evening.

A statement on the company's website says: "Stagecoach has consistently delivered some of the lowest ticket prices in the country and we are committed to continuing to keep fares as low as possible.

"However, like many sectors of the economy, bus operators are seeing significant cost inflation, driven by increases in fuel, pay and other overheads.

"At the same time, the money bus operators receive in fares to keep services running remains significantly below pre-pandemic levels.

"In the South East, we’ve been able to absorb the impact of rising costs on the fares paid by our customers.

'The money bus operators receive in fares to keep services running remains significantly below pre-pandemic levels'

"DayRider tickets have been frozen since 2019, and we’ve introduced new ticket options such as Flexi tickets to help keep prices low for people who travel less frequently.

"We’re also freezing most period ticket prices for our regular customers. The ‘MegaRider Xtra’ continues to offer the best value ticket for frequent travellers.

"These fare changes will support the day to day running of our vital bus networks and help us maintain competitive pay rates for our people who have worked hard to keep communities connected and services running during the pandemic."

A spokesman for Stagecoach previously talked about to KentOnline about the challenges facing the industry.

They include falling passenger numbers, driver shortages and the end of government support next spring.