Passengers using buses in Overton are to benefit from cheaper fares next year, after the government announced that single bus journeys across England will be capped at £2 from January.
The move means the current £3 cap on single fares, which is due to run until the end of March 2027, will be reduced as part of a wider plan to help with the cost of living.
The £2 limit will apply across England, with the exception of London, and is expected to run throughout 2027. The scheme will include local bus services used by residents travelling around Hampshire and beyond.
The previous £2 bus fare cap was introduced in 2023 but was increased to £3 in 2025, with ministers at the time saying the lower limit was too expensive to maintain. Some areas, including Greater Manchester, continued to offer cheaper fares through local funding.
Announcing the change, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said affordable public transport was essential and that people should not be prevented from travelling because of cost.
“Good, affordable transport links are essential. No one should be priced out of those and left behind,” he said.
For Overton residents, the reduction could help those relying on buses for journeys to nearby towns, appointments, shopping trips and connections with wider transport networks.
The scheme is expected to cost more than £500 million, with funding being provided to support bus operators and local transport authorities across England.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the change was designed to give people “a little bit of breathing space” during ongoing cost of living pressures.
The announcement will be welcomed by many passengers who use local bus services.