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Fares on buses have risen much faster than on the ­railways, official figures show.

Between 2005 and last year, the average cost of bus travel rose by 75% compared to 49% for trains.

And in cities they rose by a massive 88%, on average.

In Manchester, for example, this includes a rise this year of more than 6% – double the much criticised 3.1% jump in rail fares.

It comes as a number of routes are being cut across the country, largely due to declines in funding.

(Image: Huddersfield Examiner)

The Campaign for Better Transport said between 2010 and 2018, funding for buses was cut by £182million in England and Wales, with 3,347 services reduced, altered or withdrawn.

Yesterday, Labour claimed another 5,000 routes are under threat over the next three years.

Labour MP Paula Sherriff has called for a parliamentary debate on “the demise of local bus services”.

She was backed by the Leader of the Commons, Tory Andrea Leadsom, who said: “I would be tempted to join in. In my constituency bus services have really been cut.”

The Government figures also show five billion journeys a year are by bus, compared to 1.7 billion on trains.

(Image: Jack Taylor)

The CFBT said: “Buses carry more people than trains and are a main mode of transport for the quarter of UK households with-out a car.

“The lack of affordable public transport stops people getting access to training and jobs. It makes access to healthy food in shops more difficult. It makes it more difficult for people to get to health services.

“Cuts add to poverty and social exclusion.”

The Confederation of Passenger Transport said about 88% of bus services are commercial, while subsidies from councils pay for the rest.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: “It is for councils to decide which bus operations to support in their areas, but we help to subsidise through around £250million of investment every year.”