England to cap single bus fares at £2 from Jan 1 2027

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a nationwide cap on single bus fares in England, reducing the maximum price to 2 pounds starting January 1, 2027. The policy, a central part of his new government's focus on the cost of living, will lower fares by a third from the current national cap of 3 pounds and remain in place throughout the year. The measure applies to participating bus services across England outside of London, which operates under a separate fare system.

The government estimates the initiative will cost more than 500 million pounds. Officials stated that 454 million pounds in funding has been allocated, with 400 million pounds coming from converting international climate finance grants into loans through the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. The remainder is to be drawn from existing Department for Transport budgets. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander acknowledged that the detailed implementation of this funding mechanism is still being worked out.

In announcing the policy, Burnham stated that affordable transport is essential and that no one should be priced out of it. He cited his prior experience implementing a 2-pound cap as Mayor of Greater...