A huge shake-up of bus fares across Kent has left passengers “stunned” as some face forking out hundreds of pounds more a year to travel.

The county’s biggest operator, Stagecoach, is introducing a raft of changes tomorrow as it bids to tackle a 26% rise in its own costs.

It will spell the end of unlimited daily travel for children using the popular ‘kid-for-a-quid’ scheme, while all return tickets and some discounted weekly and monthly passes will also be axed.

The changes have been branded “insane”, with critics saying the increased costs will impact passengers already on a tight budget as they struggle through the cost-of-living crisis.

Others say Stagecoach should rethink its plans, believing higher prices will deter people from using public transport.

Who will be impacted by the shake-up?

Mainly those using buses in the areas of Kent served by Stagecoach, but Arriva - which operates in the west of the county - is also making some smaller changes.

Hardest hit will be those in the Canterbury and Dover districts, where things are changing most.

However, all bus passengers in Kent will be affected by an increase to the government’s cap on single fares, which rises tomorrow from £2 to £3 after two years at the lower rate.

As a result, Stagecoach is setting its new single tariffs at £1.80 for short journeys, £2.60 for medium-length trips and £3 for all others.

It means travelling from Canterbury to Herne Bay and back will now cost £6 for two singles instead of £4.

Kid-for-a-quid changes branded ‘absurd’

Among the most controversial changes is the decision to scrap unlimited daily travel for children through the ‘kid-for-a-quid’ scheme.

The discount £1 fare - valid when travelling with an adult - will now only apply to single journeys.

It means two parents with two children currently paying £10 for a return trip for four (four £2 singles for the adults and two £1 daily tickets for the children) will now have to fork out £16.

Stagecoach says it has held the price at £1 for more than seven years and believes the scheme will continue to offer “exceptional value”.

But mum-of-three Cindy Gillett says the increased costs are “absurd”, while others fear the impact on families relying on buses to take their children to and from school.

“The kid-for-a-quid [scheme] really was a good thing to have,” she wrote on a Canterbury community group.

“Now it’s not only going to cost people more for adult tickets, it’s now more for kids too. As a mum of three kids, it would cost me nearly £20 a day. Now that’s absurd.”

“It’s so sad and going to affect a lot of people,” added Shalini Bhola Roopchand.

The point of no return

As part of the changes, Stagecoach passengers will no longer be able to buy return tickets.

The operator says the majority of passengers will not be affected as the cost of two capped single fares is often cheaper than paying for a return.

An example of this is a return from Canterbury to Herne Bay, which currently costs £9, against the cost of two singles at £4 (or £6 from tomorrow).

But going to and from Canterbury bus station and the city’s K&C Hospital - classed as a medium-length journey - will cost £5.20 for two singles instead of the current return fare of £4.50.

What about weekly and monthly tickets?

Stagecoach offers multi-journey discounts through its DayRider and MegaRider tickets, allowing unlimited travel across local zones for a day, week or 28 days.

These zones are mainly restricted to single towns such as Ashford or Folkestone, although the districts of Thanet and Swale are each considered one zone.

Weekly tickets in these areas will rise from £19.40 to £23.40, while 28-day tickets will increase from £71.50 to £79.60.

The Canterbury and Dover districts are treated differently, however, with each priced as a larger zone at £90.10 for a 28-day ticket.

These passes allow passengers unlimited travel across Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable, or between Dover and Deal.

But Stagecoach is scrapping both, with the closest alternative a South East 28 Day MegaRider, which is rising in price from £116.20 to £125.80 and permits travel further afield.

It means passengers having to find an extra £35.70 every four weeks - or £464.10 a year.

Among them is Amy Hitchcock, from Herne, who uses the 28-day ticket for multiple journeys a day.

She says she thought the changes were a mistake when she first saw them publicised and even queried them with Stagecoach.

“They just said the route wasn’t supported enough to justify continuing it,” said the 34-year-old, who works as a community gardener and dog walker.

“Yet I talk to quite a lot of people who use it and are equally stunned by such a big price rise.

“The point is that most of us don’t need a ticket to cover the whole of the southeast because we only want it for local journeys, so we’d be paying for something we don’t use.

“It’s just unnecessary for nipping to the shops, attending doctor's appointments or commuting.

“I appreciate fares have to go up, but this is way too much to find so soon after Christmas with barely any notice.

“It’s not exactly a Christmas present is it, especially for those on a tight budget, which is a lot of bus users.”

Stagecoach is also scrapping the 7 Day MegaRider for Dover and Deal, which costs £24.30. The closest alternative is the south-east version, at £37.

Deal councillor Mike Eddy believes Stagecoach should be doing more to encourage passengers, not putting up fares and cutting routes.

"How are these increases going to help people travel more sustainably at a time when they are already having to deal with rising costs?" said the Green Party member, who sits on Deal's transport and infrastructure committee.

"Quite a few people travel to work in Dover on the bus and I think passengers will be rightly miffed.

"It makes no sense to me if we are trying to get more cars off the road, which is better for the environment.

"I know the train is an alternative but the stations are not as centrally located as bus stops and therefore not as convenient.

"But that's the trouble with these privatised companies which are out to make profits."

Why is Stagecoach making the changes?

The operator says a 26% rise in its own running costs has forced it to take action to recover the money.

It says it has held the price of multi-journey tickets “as low as possible” since 2022, but increases are “necessary to rebalance our prices across the range of ticket options available”.

On scrapping the larger zones in the Canterbury and Dover districts, Stagecoach blames the lack of people using buses in both areas.

While many have been quick to criticise the increases, others have defended the operator.

Dee Klutter wrote: “We don't like it but it’s a fact of life. Their drivers, mechanics, cleaners, etc, all need paying.”

What changes are Arriva making?

The operator, which runs buses in areas of west Kent including Maidstone, Dartford and Medway, is also scrapping return tickets and some of its discounted passes, including three-day and 12-day bundles that offer lower rates for multiple journeys.

The cost of its Kent Twilight ticket - for a single fare after 7pm - will increase from £1.70 to £2.50.

Michelle Gardiner responded to Arriva’s announcement: “It's a shame you don't provide a frequent and reliable service, maybe we could understand the price increase then.”

Maz Sahagian wrote: “Really dislike you are removing the 12-ticket wallet. As someone who works four days a week for mobility issues it was the most cost-effective option.”

Bailey Bickmore added: “Easily the worst change to fares I've ever seen.”