National £2 bus fare cap extended until end of June

Ticket machine with contactless card

The national £2 bus fare cap is to be extended to 30 June, meaning passengers can continue to save on single bus tickets, helping them travel more affordably to education, work and medical appointments.

The national cap will have no impact on the Bee Network single fares cap introduced in Greater Manchester in September last year, but will mean that fares for journeys to places outside of Greater Manchester (eg Whitworth, Rawtenstall or Walsden) will be no more than £2.
 

Read more: Bus fares to be capped at £2 per journey under Bee Network reformsPublished: 15 March 2022

Extended from 1 April, the national offer will apply to more than 5,000 routes in England from over 140 operators: with the average single local bus ticket costing £2.80, passengers can save almost a third of the ticket price and over 75% on some of the longest trips. 

The scheme, which began in January this year, has already seen an uptick in passenger numbers. This extension will continue to encourage greater bus use and is expected to take up to four million cars off the road, supporting ambitions for greener journeys by minimising pollution and tackling congestion across the country.

Roads Minister Richard Holden said: “Bus travel should be accessible and affordable for everyone. We know that people are struggling with rising costs, which is why we’re extending the £2 bus fare cap and continuing to put money back into passengers’ pockets.

“This will help to ensure people can get around easily, no matter where they live – connecting them with work, education, doctors’ appointments as well as friends and families – in turn strengthening communities and growing local economies.”

Bus fare caps are also available across major cities and local authorities, such as in Greater Manchester and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, thanks to the £1 billion in Bus Service Improvement Plans funding.