Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced that England’s cap on bus fares will be increased to £3, marking a rise from the current £2 limit.
This new fare ceiling will be introduced in the upcoming Budget and is set to impact bus users across the country. The existing £2 cap, initially introduced by the previous Conservative government, was implemented to alleviate some of the financial pressures associated with the cost-of-living crisis, especially for those reliant on public transport for their daily commute.
The current cap, which was slated to end in December, provided temporary relief for millions of passengers by holding down fare increases amidst rising living costs. Starmer’s decision to raise the cap aims to maintain support for public transportation users while also accounting for the growing financial pressures faced by bus operators and transport networks. The £3 limit, while higher, is part of a broader effort to balance affordability for passengers with the economic sustainability of public transit services. This adjustment is anticipated to extend well into the coming year, with further details on its duration expected in the official Budget announcement.
The Prime Minister said “I do know how much this matters, particularly in rural communities where there is heavy reliance on buses.”
