PRICES for bus tickets allowing passengers to use any service to get around the city are to be cut in the New Year.

The reductions will cover two types of All York ticket and are designed to help City of York Council meet its target of an 18 per cent increase in bus passenger levels by 2015.

The All York scheme – which prevents passengers having to buy separate tickets for services run by different operators – was launched in mid-2012 and the price cuts for family and weekly tickets will come into force from January 5.

The All York Family ticket, which is valid for five people including up to two adults, will fall from £10 to £9, while the All York Week offer – allowing one person to use any York bus for seven consecutive days – is to be reduced from £20 to £18.

The move is part of the council’s York By Bus campaign.

Coun Dave Merrett, the council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “We are working closely with all local bus operators to raise even more awareness of the benefits of travelling by bus in York.

“We know this campaign will help to deliver real benefits for the city, and for every £1 spent, this project should deliver £4 of benefits in York by reducing congestion, improving air quality and health and reducing road accidents.”

The authority was awarded £3.5 million in support from the Government’s Better Bus Area Fund last year, which is also being used to improve bus stops and timetables, install new real-time information screens in the city-centre, and introduce a new “transport smartcard” for the city in 2014.

All York tickets can be bought from drivers aboard First, Coastliner, Arriva Yorkshire, Connexions, East Yorkshire Motor Services, Eddie Brown, Reliance, Stephenson’s and Utopia buses, and includes Park&Ride, Transdev York and Unibus services.

Day tickets cost £4.50, with daily tickets for passengers aged between 11 and 16 being £2.30.

More details, including terms and conditions, are at itravelyork.info, where an online journey planner is also available.