A Government scheme to slash bus fares until the end of March has been warmly welcomed by Wealden's Conservative MP, Nus Ghani.
Bus users across Wealden and East Sussex are set to benefit from three months of bus fares of no more than £2 for a single journey between 1 January and 31 March 2023 as part of the Department for Transport’s new fares initiative to ensure affordable transport.
Any single tickets previously cheaper than this will remain the same price. This nationwide scheme in England is running in addition to other local fare initiatives already in place which are being delivered in partnership with County Councils.
Over 130 bus operators outside London, including Stagecoach and Brighton & Hove bus services across Wealden and East Sussex, are participating in the scheme to encourage more people to use public transport and help local passengers with travel costs for work, education, shopping and medical treatments over the winter months.
A list of bus companies and bus routes included in the £2 bus fare cap scheme is available here.
Nusrat Ghani said: “Bus services are a vital mean of transport for many Wealden residents, helping to get people of all ages to work, school, medical appointments, shops or to see friends and family. Ensuring that almost all bus journeys are no more than £2 is a much welcome scheme to boost our local bus services and it will provide direct help to thousands of households in Wealden and across the country.”
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:
By helping passengers outside London save almost a third off the average single bus ticket and taking two million cars off the road, the £2 bus fare cap is a fantastic way to start the new year.
Buses are a key part of our vision for a clean, efficient and modern transport network that is affordable for everyone. That’s why we’re investing £60 million to encourage everyone to hop on the bus and ‘Get Around for £2’.
