Ministers have announced a £500m package of funding for buses, including extending the £2 cap on single journeys outside London until the end of October.
From November, a new cap of £2.50 will be in place until 30 November 2024, bringing the total cost of the subsidy over this time to £200m.
As part of the £300m to support services until 2025, £160m will be provided to local transport authorities to improve fares, services and infrastructure while £140m will go directly to operators to help protect essential services across England.
Transport secretary Mark Harper said: ‘Taking the bus is the most popular form of public transport and millions of people rely on these vital services every day.
Salisbury, Wiltshire 2023
‘That’s why we’re investing half a billion pounds to help people save money amid cost of living pressures and continue to level up transport in all parts of the country, doing our bit to help halve inflation and grow the economy.’
Graham Vidler, CEO of the Confederation of Passenger Transport, said: ‘We welcome this two-year funding settlement. It shows a recognition of the value of buses to the economy and to local communities. It will enable bus operators and local authorities to plan, promote and grow services with greater confidence.
‘However, the combination of the funding settlement and the £2 fare cap extension will not save every service in every part of the country. Operators and local authorities will now work together to study the detail of the Government’s proposals and ensure that the funding is used to safeguard the best possible network for local passengers.’
The Department for Transport said the new funding models will protect vulnerable routes while allowing local authorities and operators to determine the routes that work for local areas.
