Stagecoach offers the lowest average weekly bus fares of Britain’s four main national operators, according to new independent research.

The national survey also found that Stagecoach weekly bus travel was nearly £1 cheaper than the UK average and over £4 cheaper than weekly capped bus travel in London.

Details are revealed in the sixth National Bus Fares Survey undertaken by transport consultants TAS and published this month.

The research surveyed nearly 1,100 adult fares in 2019 across England, Scotland and Wales, including those offered by national operators, independent bus companies and municipal operators.

The survey found that the average Stagecoach weekly ticket cost £17.15, compared with a mean weekly ticket price of £18.03 based on all operators surveyed in Britain. In comparison, weekly travel with Arriva is £17.76; First £18.92. and Go-Ahead £19.37.

Stagecoach’s average weekly bus travel is also more than £4 cheaper than the Transport for London weekly cap of £21.20 for bus travel in the capital. On average, Stagecoach weekly tickets offer a 29% discount compared to the price of buying single tickets.

The TAS report says that use of new technology for ticket sales – particularly contactless and m-ticketing – is increasing. In 2019, Stagecoach completed the biggest roll-out of contactless technology by any bus operator in Britain to simplify ticketing.

Stagecoach has also launched a new bus app, which offers mobile ticketing and real-time tracking of bus services on an interactive map. TAS found that Stagecoach was one of only two main operators to have 100% availability of smartcard, m-ticket and contactless options.