Dr Neil Hudson MP has welcomed the Conservative Government’s decision to extend the £2 bus fare cap, bringing cheaper journeys to people across the country.
The bus fare cap had been due to rise to £2.50 but thanks to the Conservative Government’s decision to reinvest HS2 funding in ‘Network North’, it will remain at £2 across most of England until the end of December 2024.
This plan takes the total government investment to keep bus fares down to nearly £600 million – with over 140 operators signing up to continue offering the cap across more than 5,000 routes.
This extension is only possible due to £36 billion of funding being redirected from HS2, funding the ‘Network North’ plan. More broadly, £2.8 million worth of HS2 monies is being invested in Cumbria to improve bus services over the next financial year (2024/25). Find out more about that here.
Commenting, Dr Neil Hudson MP said:
“Staying connected is vital to people and keeping the cost of bus fares down will make a real difference to the lives of the millions of people who use them every day.
“That is why I am delighted the Conservative Government has taken the decision to extend the much-loved £2 bus fare cap across most of England. This builds on more than £2 million extra Government funding being invested in Cumbrian buses during the next financial year thanks to redirected funding from HS2.
“This pro-active delivery by the Conservative Government will help people to keep costs down in these challenging times.”
Commenting, Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said:
“Buses are the most popular form of public transport and help people across the country get to work, attend medical appointments, and see loved ones – that’s why we are extending the ‘Get Around for £2’ scheme all the way to 31 December 2024.
“Extending the £2 bus fare cap has only been possible with the redirected HS2 funding secured by this Government making the right long-term decisions for a brighter future, delivering immediate benefits and helping people save money.”
