Bus fares to stick to £2 in Liverpool City Region
It's despite rises to £3 across most of the rest of the country
Bus fares across the Liverpool City Region are set to stay at £2, despite going up to £3 across much of the rest of the country.
Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram has announced the move, which will be funded by a local transport settlement.
Introduced by the Mayor in September 2022 with funding from the region’s Bus Services Improvement Plan (BSIP) settlement, the £2 fare cap has helped to restore ridership in the local bus following the pandemic.
Under plans inherited from the previous government, funding for the existing cap on bus fares had been due to expire at the end of 2024.
In last week’s Budget Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a new £3 cap set to take effect from January 2025.
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region said:
“This is fantastic news for passengers and businesses across the Liverpool City Region.
“Affordable and reliable bus services are key to ensuring that everyone, no matter their income or background, can get to work, access education, or simply enjoy all that our region has to offer.
“When I was re-elected I made a commitment to keep bus fares in the region as low as possible, and I’m proud to deliver on that commitment.
“Nationally we’re currently operating in a really challenging financial context with the mess inherited from the previous government, but by saving the £2 cap we’re really demonstrating the power of devolution. It gives us the freedom to take bold action, ensuring that the decisions we make are directly driven by the needs and priorities of the people who live here.
“But this is not just about getting from A to B, it’s part of our wider efforts to make clean, sustainable travel more accessible, tackle congestion, and make the Liverpool City Region net zero carbon by 2035.
“Going forward I’ll be looking at how fares will be structured to keep them as affordable as possible as we bring buses into public ownership.”