Portsmouth council leader urged to write to PM over bus fare cap rise
Steve Pitt's previously called the decision to hike fares 'hugely disappointing'
Councillors have discussed the impact of higher bus fares for commuters, after the Labour government increased the cap for single journeys to £3.
In a full Portsmouth City Council meeting, the cabinet member for transport Peter Candlish tabled a motion to lobby the government to lower the bus fare hike.
Cllr Candlish said the £2 fare cap has not only kept the cost down for low-income residents “it has also been the key to generating trial and re-trial of the buses by those who abandoned them during Covid”.
“The decision to increase single bus fares from £2 to £3, especially in a city like Portsmouth, is cut from the same cloth as the cuts in winter fuel allowances.
“A top-down, one-size-fits-all strategic error made by a Government that is failing to listen or to demonstrate either care or competence.
“A worker on £1,500 a month might easily end up paying an extra £40/month following this change – that’s a lot from an already small income.
“If we are to tackle congestion, parking, air quality and pollution issues in this city, we have to get people back on the bus.”
In response, the deputy leader of the Labour group councillor Graham Heaney reminded members that the £2 cap was agreed to run until December whilst highlighting the “serious problems” in public finances the government has adopted.
He cited findings from the campaign for better bus transport, which found that £78m has been axed from council budgets since 2010 in England and Wales – leaving 2,400 services either reduced, altered or withdrawn.
He added: “What happens in the past contains and sometimes prevents you from doing things you’d like to do in the future.”
“The argument that the fares are the only thing that matters when it comes to bus services is wrong – if you don’t have a service at 7.30am it doesn’t matter what the fare is, you won’t get there.”
Cllr Heaney attempted to amend the motion, encouraging the cabinet member to review the impact of the new cap rather than “assert” it will be “the end of bus services as we know it”.
“Asking the cabinet member to do a proper review of the impact rather than assert that this is going to be the end of bus services as we know it.”
Members voted through Cllr Candlish’s motion without amendments, it calls on the council leader to express concerns directly with the Prime Minister in a letter.