Local bus company trent barton has announced a fares freeze for the remainder of the year as it looks to help boost the retail recovery in Nottingham and Derby city centres.

Managing Director, Jeff Counsell said that according to recent figures there had been a welcome increase in the number of people visiting shops in both cities over recent months.

He explained: "It's a trend which we have seen reflected in passenger numbers on our services into the city centres and clearly we hope it's a sign that the economy is slowly improving.

"The figures will be welcome news for those retailers who have been suffering during the recession and we want to see any upward trend continue. That's why we've decided to make our contribution by announcing our aim to freeze fares at current levels until the end of the year.

"As a bus company, we are very much part of the Nottingham and Derby economies and thriving city centre areas are in all our interests. Like in most cities, the recession has taken its toll but there are encouraging signs that footfall is increasing."

He added: "Both Nottingham and Derby are vibrant places which have a lot to offer both visitors and local people alike. By freezing fares we hope to encourage more people to take the bus into the centres to take advantage of the diverse range of retail and leisure opportunities.

"If there are some green shoots of recovery around, we want to help nurture them and play our part in ensuring that footfall continues to rise in the months ahead."