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Wednesday, 22 July 2026
Economy

UK government to restore £2 bus fare cap in England

The cap, backed by £454m in funding, aims to ease cost-of-living pressures from January, though some regions already have lower fares.

Talivio News · Global 1 min read
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Westminster Bridge with Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in the background. Allan Fisher

The UK government has announced it will restore a £2 cap on single bus fares in England, a move Prime Minister Andy Burnham said is aimed at helping with the cost of living. The policy, which takes effect from January, is backed by £454 million in funding, including £400 million redirected from international climate finance through loans.

The cap applies to most single bus fares across England, though there are exceptions. Some areas, including London and Greater Manchester, already have lower top rates for single tickets. Burnham, who previously set a £2 limit as mayor of Greater Manchester, now leads the national government.

Updates

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has stated that the implementation of the £2 bus fare cap is expected to reduce ticket prices by up to a third for millions of passengers.

Ilse Marchetti

Economics Correspondent · Talivio News

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Sources

  1. BBC — Government to restore £2 cap on bus fares in England (opens in a new window)
  2. The Guardian — Burnham announces bus fares across England to be capped at £2 (opens in a new window)
  3. BBC — How will Burnham fund £2 bus fare cap? (opens in a new window)
  4. politico.eu — Is everyone on the Burnham bus? (opens in a new window)
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