Bus £2 fare cap extended for three months

1 year ago 35
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Bus service number 13 in LondonImage source, Getty Images

The £2 cap on bus fares has been extended for three months following warnings that hundreds of services could be cut if it ended.

The Department for Transport announced the extension to support bus services in England.

The cap was due to end on 31 March, but has been extended until 30 June.

Bus operators have been struggling to maintain service levels in the face of rising costs and passenger numbers not recovering to pre-pandemic levels.

The cap was introduced partly as a cost of living measure but is also meant to encourage people back on to buses.

"Getting more people onto reliable and affordable buses will strengthen communities and help grow the economy," said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Up to 15% of services could have been scrapped, the Confederation of Passenger Transport, which represents bus and coach firms, said earlier this month.

During the pandemic, the government provided £2bn to support bus firms, who provide the most popular form of public transport in England.

The government said the extension for bus fares would be backed by up to £75m in funding.

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