The bus fare cap in England will increase from £2 to £3 under a new budget plan.
- Introduced as a cost-of-living measure, the previous £2 cap set by the Conservative government was due to expire.
- The new cap will be effective until the end of 2025, impacting millions of regular bus users.
- Fares in London and Greater Manchester remain unaffected due to different funding arrangements.
- Environmental groups have criticised the decision, arguing it may not support low-income travellers.
The decision to raise the bus fare cap to £3 was announced by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, marking an increase from the previous £2 limit implemented by the Conservative government. This measure was initially introduced to address cost-of-living challenges and was set to expire at the end of December. Concerns arose that without an extension, passengers could experience a significant fare hike.
Approximately 3.4 million individuals across England rely on buses for regular travel. The new cap, set to begin early next year, aims to extend fare affordability until the close of 2025. The importance of maintaining reasonable bus travel costs is especially noted in rural regions where residents are dependent on this mode for commuting.
Despite the national change, fares in London and Greater Manchester will remain unchanged at £1.75 and £2, respectively. These areas benefit from separate financial provisions managed by Transport for London and local authorities. The Confederation of Passenger Transport praised the cap extension, asserting it avoided a potentially steep fare increase at the year’s end. However, they recognised the challenges that some bus users might face with the new £3 limit.
Bill Hiron, chair of Eastern Transport Holdings, underscored that eliminating the current cap could have reverted fares to previous levels of £5 to £7, causing hardship for many. Such increases could have discouraged bus usage, he stated in a BBC interview.
Conversely, environmental organisation Greenpeace criticised the decision to raise the cap, calling it a “tough decision” that was unnecessary. Paul Morozzo of Greenpeace UK highlighted the essential nature of buses for those on lower incomes and suggested the government reconsider at the earliest opportunity.
The new bus fare cap aims to balance affordability with sustainability, yet its effects on public transport usage remain under scrutiny.
