PENSIONERS could face bus fare increases in a bid to bring back services axed in a controversial network shake-up.

Bus firm First Southampton provoked fury last year by cutting routes and reducing the frequency of some services across the city.

Now council chiefs say they may increase the cost of pensioners' concessionary fares and spend more to subsidise ailing routes and bring back axed ones.

They have put forward the plans because the government say disabled people should also be given cut-price fares by local authorities.

Pensioners currently pay 20p to travel in Southampton. The average fare is 80p.

The City Council shells out nearly £1.7 million a year to subsidise older people's fares, with only £300,000 spent on minor bus routes.

Richard Williams, executive member for transport and environment at Southampton City Council, said cash freed up by increasing fares would be used to reinstate routes and maintain services vital to pensioners.

He added: "This new legislation means we will be basically catering for more people to go on buses.

"The policy at the moment is spending most of the budget on subsidised fares, with only a little spent on subsidising routes. But the problem with continuing that is that people could still be paying 20p but not be able to catch a bus."

The proposals were discussed at a meeting last night of Southampton Bus Users' Group.

Archie Parsons, area director of First Southampton, said: "We are in a commercial environment and there are certain occasions when we find it difficult to continue to operate certain services.

"We are aware of the city council possibly providing additional funding for bus services and we are in regular contact with them."

Sandra Smith, for Age Concern Southamp-ton, said: "This is a tricky issue. The problem is that if fares stay the same, there could be the case of there not being enough buses."