Campaigners welcome extension to £2 cap on bus fares in England as routes under threat
Passenger numbers are still 19% below pre-Covid levels outside London
Campaigners have welcomed a three-month extension to the government’s £2 cap on bus fares introduced in England to save services hit by a post-Covid slump in passenger numbers.
The promotional scheme was due to expire at the end of March but will now run until 30 June after the Department for Transport (DfT) found an extra £75 million for operators to keep it running.
Transport Focus chief executive Anthony Smith, said half of bus users have no other transport option available “so this funding is welcome news.”
“We also know that bus passengers want simpler, better value for money fares,” he said. “Many are facing particular financial challenges at the moment.”
The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), which represents bus companies, warned earlier this week that up to 15% of England's bus services could be lost if Government funding was axed.
DfT figures on Monday showed ridership on buses outside London was 19% below pre-coronavirus levels.
More than 130 operators outside London are charging no more than £2 for a single ticket.
Single fares for a three-mile journey outside London normally cost an average of about £2.80 but tickets can exceed £5 for long journeys in rural areas, according to the DfT.
Rishi Sunak said: “Getting more people onto reliable and affordable buses will strengthen communities and help grow the economy, connecting people to jobs, driving pensioners to see friends and family, and helping people attend medical appointments or access education.
“I'm determined to ensure that no matter where you live, you have the same opportunities to get around easily and can feel pride in your local area which is why protecting our local bus services is so important.”
A further £80m will go to operators to protect threatened routes, the DfT said in its announcement on Friday.
CPT chief executive Graham Vidler welcomed the cash but said: “It is now critical all parties use this three-month extension to move away from short-term funding fixes, and instead build a sustainable settlement to unlock the economic, net zero and social well-being potential of buses.”