Single bus fares in Southampton will not rise to £3 when the current £2 fare cap ends at the end of the year.

Bluestar has stepped in to stop single fares from increasing to £3 after the current government cap ends on New Year's Eve.

Single fares in the Southampton zone will still rise, but to only £2.50 instead, from January 1.

The bus operator is scrapping return fares within the city, which extends from Weston in the east to the airport in the north, to Nursling and Bassett, and cutting off at Redbridge Roundabout, but a dayrider ticket that allows unlimited travel within the city’s fare zone will only cost £4.20.

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Bluestar’s head of communications Nikki Honer said: “We’re working hard to ensure people across our area continue to travel by bus - and to persuade more to leave their cars at home and hop on board with us instead.”

Single fares outside of the Southampton fare zone will cost £3 and returns in these areas will still be available.

No end date was given for the Bluestar scheme.