Bus fares are to be increased in Ipswich by the town's primary operator after a "significant" drop in usage during the coronavirus pandemic.

Ipswich Buses announced the company would be increasing its prices in February after freezing fares for the past two years during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The company said increasing costs of fuel, bus parts and staffing also played a part in the rise.

A statement from Ipswich Buses on its website reads: "Since the start of the pandemic, bus usage has dropped significantly.

"We have only been able to continue to operate many of our bus services due to us receiving financial support from central government and Suffolk County Council.

"It is now highly probable that this financial support will end, or be much-reduced, from the start of April 2022.

"At the same time, we will likely also see significant reductions in how much we get paid for carrying concessionary pass holders, while our fuel costs, staff costs and parts costs are all increasing.

"Given this position we have tried to minimise the level of price increase we are to apply from Sunday, February 20, 2022."

From the same date the £5 Sunday family day ticket will also be scrapped due to "low usage".

This means an adult single ticket will be raised by 10p and an adult return will be raised by 20p.

A family day ticket will rise from £6.50 to £7.

More information on prices can be found on Ipswich Buses' website.