Andy Burnham announced a £2 cap on single-bus fares across England to reduce travel costs for the public [1].
This policy targets the cost-of-living crisis by making public transport more affordable. By lowering the price of single journeys, the government intends to encourage a shift toward greener transport options to reduce carbon emissions [3].
The initiative applies to all areas of England except London, which maintains its own separate fare limits [3]. The new £2 cap [1] marks a return to previous pricing levels. A national cap of £2 had been introduced in 2023 by the Conservative government [5], but that limit was later increased to £3 in January 2025 under Sir Keir Starmer [4].
There is conflicting information regarding when the new cap takes effect. Some reports indicate the cap will be in place by next year [1], while other sources state the implementation will begin in January 2027 [7].
Burnham addressed the funding of the program during the announcement. "We are paying for this by re-prioritising money," Burnham said [2].
Despite the focus on transport subsidies, Burnham clarified that other fiscal adjustments are not currently planned. "There is currently no commitment to increasing the tax-free personal allowance threshold," Burnham said [2].
The move to restore the £2 limit follows a period where fares had risen to £3 per single journey [7]. The shift is part of a broader effort to stabilize transport costs for commuters across the country.
“"We are paying for this by re-prioritising money."”
The restoration of the £2 fare cap represents a strategic pivot back to previous transport subsidies to alleviate economic pressure on low-income commuters. However, the discrepancy in implementation dates, ranging from 2025 to 2027, suggests potential administrative delays or a phased rollout that could affect public expectations of immediate relief.
