To help passengers with travel costs for work, education, shopping and medical treatments over the winter months while they are facing pressures from the rising cost of living, the Department for Transport has announced it will invest up to £60m to introduce a £2 bus fare cap on most services across England, outside London, by the New Year. This will mean that a single bus ticket on most services will cost no more than £2, starting no later than 1 January 2023, saving people 30% on the average fare.
Commenting on this announcement, Richard Fuller MP said:
Local transport links form the transport spine of many communities – but in the face of cost of living pressures we must help passengers keep costs down. That is why we have announced a £2 bus fare cap across England – saving passengers around 30 per cent on the average fare.
This further investment is in addition to the six-month extension to the Bus Recovery Grant, worth up to £130m, announced on 19 August to continue protecting bus services and sets out another practical step the Government is taking to support those struggling with the rising cost of living, which those on lower incomes in particular rely on. This follows the allocation of more than £2 billion to support bus services in England through the pandemic and a commitment to fund improved services, new bus priority measures and new electric or hydrogen buses as part of Bus Back Better, the ambitious national bus strategy, published last year.
During the pandemic bus passenger numbers declined significantly, along with other public transport users, and figures show usage has not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Ensuring the public can access affordable bus fares will encourage more people to choose buses for local journeys, which helps to reduce carbon emissions as the country moves towards Net Zero targets. The scheme is estimated to take at least 2 million car journeys off the roads, cutting congestion and pollution for everyone.
This fare cap will not apply to bus services in London as transport is devolved to the Mayor of London, including fare setting. However, agreement has been reached with Transport for London on a £1.2bn multi-year settlement to secure the long-term future of London’s transport network, including bus services.
