Passengers are being encouraged to Get Around for £2 by bus from
January to March next year, with bus operators launching a
campaign to promote the Government fare cap scheme today (Monday
19 December).
The scheme will help families, commuters and other passengers
save money this winter, backed by £60 million Government
investment to cap single tickets at £2 from 1 January to 31 March
2023 across England, outside of London.
With the average single local bus ticket costing £2.80,
passengers will save almost a third of the ticket price per
journey. In some rural areas a single ticket can cost over
£5.
The scheme seeks to get more commuters on buses and helps to
reduce emissions and congestion by taking an estimated two
million cars off the roads.
Today, the Government has confirmed over 130 bus operators such
as National Express and Stagecoach managing routes from the north
to the south of England will charge no more than £2 for their
single tickets, helping passengers with travel costs for
education, work and medical appointments as they face pressures
from the rising cost of living.
Buses Minister said:
“Brits love buses. They’re the most popular form of public
transport in England, making up half of all journeys. So
we’re investing £60 million to cap single bus fares at £2 to help
families, students and commuters and get people back on the
bus.
“The scheme will also take two million car journeys off the road
and it’s fantastic to see so many bus operators signing up. So,
if you’re in Carlisle or Weston-Super-Mare, Birmingham or
Doncaster, make sure you hop on the bus and ‘Get Around for £2’
between the 1st January and
31st March.”
Bus fares vary across different parts of the country and between
bus operators, and the cap is an important step in ensuring
passengers across the country are getting a fair deal.
The scheme forms part of the Government’s Help for Households
campaign, as the new cap can deliver real savings for those most
affected by the rising cost of living.
The bus fare cap will also help the bus industry continue its
recovery from the pandemic by encouraging greater bus use.
This initiative builds on 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.
Tom Stables, CEO of National Express UK,
said:
"More people using buses is good for the economy, environment and
wider society. We know that great value, low fares encourage
people to switch to the bus so are proud to join this scheme. And
even better, we're also freezing child fares at £1. Bus travel is
simple, cheap and easy and there's never been a better time to
get onboard."
Elsewhere, a bus fares pilot scheme, backed by £23.5 million of
Government funding, launched in Cornwall this April has already
seen a significant increase in passenger numbers.
Working alongside the ‘Any Ticket Any Bus’ Campaign, the fares
pilot, running over four years, includes a £2.50 day ticket
within towns or a £5 day ticket across all of Cornwall, which is
valid across different bus operators.
Ensuring the public can access affordable bus fares will
encourage more people to choose buses for local journeys, which
in turn will help to reduce carbon emissions as the country moves
towards our Net Zero
targets.
Graham Vidler, Chief Executive of the Confederation of
Passenger Transport said:
“We look forward to welcoming more customers on board when the £2
fare cap in England starts in January, as it complements great
value fares already in place that make taking the bus more
attractive and environmentally friendly this winter.
“Travelling for £2 on the bus both helps customers facing rising
cost challenges and try a new travel option to get to work,
education, public services, leisure or see loved ones.”
The Government will continue to work closely with bus operators
and local authorities and consider future support to help
passengers continue accessing reliable and affordable bus
services after March.
Notes to editors
- Operators across all regions in England (outside of London)
have been given the opportunity to apply to take part on the Bus
Fare Cap Grant (BFCG).
- We have also made provisions so that operators providing
services under the DfT’s Rural Mobility Fund (RMF) and local
tender service operations are able to take advantage of this cost
of living support.
- Operators in the Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and
Liverpool Combined Authorities where an existing
Government-funded £2 fare cap scheme exists are not participating
in the BFCG scheme. These are being funded by Government through
our Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs).
- Further information on Help for Households can be found
at Help for Households - Get
government cost of living support
-
https://www.traveline.info/ can
be used to plan journeys and find information on £2
routes.
