Call to extend £2 bus fare cap for Milton Keynes passengers until the end of year

The council will be urging the government to extend £2 bus fare cap until the end of the year

‘Long-term funding is needed so that our communities don’t suffer’

Calls to extend the £2 bus fare cap until the end of the year are to be made to help passengers with travel costs, increase passenger numbers, and protect vital bus routes.

The £2 cap on single journeys, introduced by the Government back in September, was due to run from January until March 2023.

In February, the Government announced the cap would remain in place for a further three months and continue until the end of June.

Before the cap was in place the average cost of a single adult journey in Milton Keynes was £2.90, now at the reduced price of £2, this is saving residents almost a third of the ticket price.

Lib Dem Councillor Paul Trendall, who represents Campbell Park and Old Woughton, will move the motion at Full Council on Wednesday.

He said: “The Government put this cap in place to help passengers with travel costs, increase passenger numbers, and to protect vital bus routes, but what makes them think these problems will be solved by the end of June?”

Although the buses in Milton Keynes are run by private companies, the council subsidises concessionary fares for the over 65s (which includes ENCTS passes), disabled residents, and the All in 1 Card for under 19s.

To help minimise the impact on residents during the cost-of-living crisis, the council has upped financial support for the All in 1 Card holders to cover inflationary fare increases across private bus companies. The council already pays 50p per trip, but will provide an extra 20p to help reduce the cost for residents.

Lib Dem Leader on Milton Keynes City Council, Councillor Robin Bradburn added: “The council gets less money from Central Government year after year and by subsidising fares and providing extra money to support residents, we are already doing all that we can to help. We know private bus companies are struggling and are continuing to support residents where we can, but we can’t do it all. The Government need to step up and provide long-term funding so that our communities don’t suffer.”