New analysis from the Liberal Democrats has shown that the
average bus commuter would effectively face a 1p income tax hike
due to the Government's changes to bus tickets from £2 to
£3.
The analysis shows that the average commuter who takes the bus
every working day of the week would face an extra £448 bill
because of the change made by the government.
That is the equivalent of paying £5,420 in income tax a year, 9%
higher than the £4,972 a median earner on £37,430 a year would
pay.
The Liberal Democrats are calling for the rise to be reversed and
the £2 bus cap to remain in place to protect rural communities
and bus commuters from suffering more financial pain after years
of “economic vandalism" under the Conservatives.
Liberal Democrat Environment spokesperson MP said:
“The government's bus tax will clobber people across the country,
especially those in rural areas and on low incomes. It is the
last thing these people need after years of the Conservatives'
economic vandalism.
"Keir Starmer's decision is totally flawed. It makes travelling
more expensive for working people and will make congestion worse
across the country.
“While the new government faces tough decisions, it is unfair to
place the burden of fixing the Conservatives' mistakes on bus
users and commuters."
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
First reported by the Sun here.
-
5 (days a week someone works) x 52 (weeks in a year) = 260
-
28 (days holiday a salaried person working 5 days a week gets
a year) + 8 (number of bank holidays in 2024) = 36
-
260 - 36 = 224 (number of days someone works a year)
-
224 x £2 (increased cost of bus cap rise to £3 per day
someone works for journey to work and back) = £448
-
The median earner earns £37,430 per year which incurs £4,972
of income tax. Source.
-
£4,972 + £448 = £5,420
-
‘Bus tax' is equivalent to this person seeing a 9.01046%
increase in their income tax.
-
This is equivalent to a 1.2p rise in income tax for
‘a typical person who uses a bus to work' due to the ‘bus
tax'. Source.
