As a regular bus user myself, I was very pleased indeed to read the news that the Labour Government will be cutting maximum bus fares from £3 to £2 per journey to help combat the increased cost of living, from the new year.
This will give substantial savings to a lot of people on low incomes, which is exactly the right thing to do.
Millions of people across England will save money on bus travel, slashing maximum fares by up to a third, to help passengers save on their regular travel costs.
Under the scheme, no single bus ticket on participating bus routes will be higher than £2, supporting access to work, education, healthcare and leisure.
The £2 scheme replaces the existing £3 cap which was due to run until March 2027. Capped fares will particularly benefit people travelling longer distances and those living in rural and coastal communities.
In the meantime, over the summer all children in England aged 5-15 can travel on participating buses for free, making it easier for families to enjoy days out for less this summer. The Government have allocated over £100 million for this, which includes a Cost of Living payment for Local Transport Authorities and operators outside London to protect bus services and keep fares low.
Lowering the bus fare cap is one way to give families some breathing space. It’s the most used form of public transport which millions of people use to get to work, school and see family and friends. This will help make those everyday journeys that little bit easier.
For too long costs have grown and grown with seemingly no end in sight. Last week’s announcement is about giving families breathing space, and connecting communities to jobs, opportunities and each other. I thoroughly welcome the benefit it is going to provide to a lot of people here in Crawley Borough.
The truth is that the last Tory Government decimated bus services. While we are very fortunate here in Crawley with a good extensive bus network that provides regular services throughout the entire day, this wasn’t the case everywhere. The Tories left the nation with routes slashed, areas cut off and buses driving 300 million fewer miles than in 2010.
In addition, this cap comes alongside the first rail fare freeze in 30 years announced earlier this year, saving passengers £600 million and commuters on some routes saving more than £300 a year.
We need to give people the reasons to make public transport more attractive and the extra usage that will justify the future expansion in services and to my mind all of this is the joined up thinking we need to achieve this, so it’s a win-win all round.
Cllr Michael Jones
Leader, Crawley Borough Council