TODAY’s Budget held good and bad news for Britain’s bus passengers. On the one hand, Rachel Reeves trumpeted that the cap on bus fares introduced by the Sunak government would be continued. On the other the minimum price will go up from £2 to £3.
This will not be welcomed by the young, the old and isolated rural dwellers who rely on the buses – if there is a service at all. The truth is that most services outside London and the big cities are absolutely dire. Infrequent, unreliable and uncomfortable, few would use them out of choice.
To make matters worse, regional services operate in stark contrast to the mostly excellent and frequent services in the metropolis. Here in one of the most expensive cities in the world fares are capped at just £1.75 and will remain so despite Reeve’s s hike elsewhere.
Within a short walk of my house in a north London suburb, I can count 14 different bus routes, several operated by new environmentally-friendly vehicles which arrive at frequent intervals. Fare’s not fair for some people!
