New proposals set out to keep bus fares low in West Yorkshire - West Yorkshire Combined Authority

Proposals to ensure bus passengers in West Yorkshire will continue to pay some of the lowest fares in the country have been set out today, ahead of a meeting of regional leaders next month.

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin proposes a £2.50 price cap for single bus fares in the region, and a £6 cap for a DaySaver ticket for any bus, anywhere, and any number of journeys per day.

This is part of West Yorkshire's ongoing Mayor's Fares scheme, introduced in September 2022, to tackle the cost of living crisis by keeping the cost of travel as affordable as possible.

The proposals will be presented at a meeting of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority on Thursday 12^th December.

Earlier this week the Mayor announced the current £2 fare for a single ticket will be extended from the end of the year until 30^th March 2025, after the government announced the region would receive a £36 million allocation to improve bus services.

The intention is the £2.50 and £6 fares will be introduced until 30^th December 2025.

The Combined Authority will also continue to invest funds in protecting and enhancing bus routes and deploying police community support officers on West Yorkshire's buses.

Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin said:

“This is devolution in action – taking decisions at a regional level to benefit the people of West Yorkshire.

“More affordable and simpler fares are the only way to get more people using public transport, reducing congestion, improving air quality and tackling the climate emergency.

“Improving our bus network and bringing it back under public control is central to our plan to build a greener, better-connected region that works for all.”

This follows the Chancellor's recent Autumn Budget which confirmed that single fares elsewhere in the country would be capped at £3 from January 2025, as part of the national bus fare cap scheme.

A decision was made in March 2024 by Mayor Brabin to bring buses back under public control, which will give the Combined Authority more control over routes, frequencies, fares and overall standards for buses in the region.

Notes to editors

• Single bus fares in West Yorkshire are currently capped at £2 for a single journey, and £5 for a DaySaver – these prices will continue until 30^th March  2025.
• From March 2025, single bus fares in West Yorkshire will be capped at £2.50, while DaySaver tickets will be capped at £6.
• The proposals will be presented at a meeting of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority on Thursday 12^th December.
• Under-19s fares will be consolidated into two price points – 80p and £1.60.
• The Government announced its national bus fare cap would rise from £2 to £3 for a single journey after 31^st December 2024. West Yorkshire is not currently part of this scheme.