A NEW multi-operator bus ticket, designed to be easier and cheaper for passengers, has launched in Bromsgrove.

Connecta tickets offer bus travellers the opportunity to pay one price for a daily or weekly ticket.

This tickets then provides unlimited travel on all bus services, regardless of who operates them.

The scheme ends the need for passengers to pay for separate tickets on services run by the county’s 42 operators, which has been identified as a major barrier to public transport use.

Worcestershire County Council has worked with commercial operators, who are funding the scheme, to develop the revolutionary tickets.

The County Connecta ticket offers unlimited travel along every route within Worcestershire for £6.50 a day, or £21.50 a week.

The scheme could save significant amounts of money for bus users; the journey from Charford to Worcester highlighted as an example.

The current cheapest daily return option, which involves changing services with different operators, costs £9.80. Now, bus passengers can pay for the City Connecta ticket and save themselves £3.30 a day or £10.50 on the weekly ticket.

Andy Baker, Worcestershire County Council's transport planning and commissioning manager, said: "It's taken a great deal of planning to get to this point but I'm delighted the hard work has paid off.

“The Connecta tickets are a real breakthrough for residents using buses in Worcestershire as they will make things a lot simpler and, even more importantly, will help a number of passengers keep cash in their pockets.

"We want as many people as possible to take advantage of the new tickets."

For more information, including timetables, maps and prices, visit worcestershire.gov.uk/connecta.