Make the £2 bus fare cap permanent

 The £2 price cap on single bus fares in England was introduced in January 2023 but is due to end in December 2024.

The fare cap has economic, social and environmental benefits:

·        it helps people hit by the cost of living crisis – especially those on the lowest incomes, who are most likely to rely on bus services

·        it enables young and disadvantaged people to access work, education and social activities

·        it has encouraged more people to use buses – surveys show 30% of people have used the bus more, a quarter of them new bus passengers, and many choosing to use their car less.

·        This has a positive impact on the climate, helping to reduce carbon emissions, pollution and congestion on our roads. 

Short term extensions to the fare cap (3 since its introduction) have created uncertainty and hindered planning of routes and timetables.  The cap needs to be made permanent as the first step towards reducing the cost of public transport.