Transport chief hints at major changes to UK bus fare system next year
British government plans to replace nationwide bus fare cap with targeted support system focusing on young riders. New £1bn funding package aims to protect rural routes and improve service reliability
Louise Haigh‚ Transport Secretary announced that the current bus-fare cap wont continue as-is after late-2024. The government is moving towards age-specific support instead of the one-size-fits-all approach (which started at £2 and recently moved to £3)
The new system will focus on young peoples needs — similar to how senior citizens get special rates. “Through evaluation of the £2 cap weve found that the best approach is to target it at young people“ Haigh explained on a sky-news broadcast
A mega-funding package worth more than £1bn is coming to help local transport services; this includes:
- £712m for councils to boost local routes
- £243m to keep fares reasonable
- £150m supporting current £3 cap
- Extra money for under-served areas
Rural communities are getting special attention with this cash-injection — places like Isle of Wight and Torbay will see record-breaking funding. The transport dept says theyll keep fare rises tied to inflation rates; which means not all tickets will jump to maximum prices
The upcoming Buses Bill aims to change the old 80s-era system letting local authorities take charge of their networks and operations. Haigh also touched on last months P&O ferries situation: “I accept that my language was an unhelpful distraction“ she noted about calling them a rogue operator
The plans that we inherited would have ended the cap completely on Dec 31
