Cheaper bus fares as Cornwall is chosen as pilot area for 'levelling up' transport
The cost of catching the bus in the Duchy is being cut
Cornwall has been selected as one of 31 areas in England for the latest round of Government funding to boost bus services.
Alongside the Duchy the successful counties, city regions and unitary authorities chosen were also Brighton and Hove, City of York, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and the West Midlands, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced.
Many applicants missed out though, such as Plymouth.
The DfT said just under two-thirds of England’s population outside London will “benefit from new investment” in buses, including earlier funding awards.
Improvements under the areas’ bus service improvement plans include making services more frequent, better reliability, cheaper fares and greener vehicles.
Areas have been chosen because of their “ambition to repeat the success achieved in London”, the DfT added.
In Cornwall, a trial starting on Sunday will see most fares in the county cut.
The DfT said short journeys will be 20% cheaper, with tickets for longer trips reduced by as much as 40%.
Passes for unlimited bus travel across Cornwall will cost just £5 per day (down from £9 now) or £20 per week. Town zones offer great value travel for just £2.50 per day or £10 for a week - for commuters travelling five days a week that works out at just £2 a day or £1 per journey.
All tickets will be available on all operators' services, and in the summer contactless tap-on and tap-off payments will be introduced and buses will connect easily with the main rail line at stations across the Duchy.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Buses are the most popular way of getting around in this country – but for too long people outside of London have had a raw deal.
“The investment we’re making today to ramp up the bus revolution will drive down fares at a time when people’s finances are tight and help connect communities across England.”
A spokesman for the Confederation of Passenger Transport, which represents the bus and coach industry, described the funding announcement as “an important milestone”.
He said: “Operators are ready to engage with successful local authorities to deliver their joint plans for improvement in bus services as quickly as possible to help deliver important goals such as the drive to net zero and economic growth across the country.
“It is important that we remember though that there will be millions of passengers left disappointed by today’s announcement as their local area missed out on funding.
“It’s vital that the Government now clearly sets out future funding plans and policy initiatives for delivering its National Bus Strategy, including measures to reduce car use.
“This will ensure that today’s announcement is the beginning not the end of plans to improve bus services across the country.
“A good place to start would be to confirm funding for the industry’s plan to deliver simpler and price-capped ticketing across the country – a move that would improve bus services for passengers everywhere.”