Bus users in Cheshire East will only pay a maximum £2 fare for any local journey after Cheshire East Council agreed to follow a Government scheme.
The Department for Transport scheme encourages people to “get around for £2” and will run from January 1 to March 31.
It will see all adult single fares capped at £2 and all return fares capped at £4 on bus services operated by participating companies.
The scheme is being adopted by more than 130 bus operators outside London.
It’s hoped it will encourage more people to swap cars for bus journeys, helping families save money during the cost-of-living crisis.
It will also have a positive impact on the reduction of carbon emissions by taking cars off the road.
Cllr Laura Crane, vice-chair of Cheshire East Council’s highways and transport committee and chair of the council’s bus service improvement member advisory panel, said: “We know that this winter has been an extremely difficult time for many of our residents and especially families.
“We hope engaging with this government scheme, which means that for the first three months of the year our local bus operators will not charge more than £2 for any local fare, provides a much-needed boost.
“As well as providing residents with a financial incentive to get on the bus, this scheme – through the environmental benefits of reducing emissions from private cars – will also be supporting the council’s pledge to make the borough carbon neutral by 2045.”
Under the terms of the national fare cap, the ‘go-too’ service operated by Ansa – a wholly-owned Cheshire East Council business – is not eligible for the fare cap.
However, Ansa will be promoting alternative incentives for go-too users during the same three-month period.
Buses Minister Richard Holden said: “Bus travel remains the most popular form of public transport in England, making up around half of all journeys.
“That’s why we’re investing £60 million to cap single bus fares at £2 to support every passenger and help get people back on the bus.
“With the scheme set to take two million car journeys off the road, it’s fantastic to see so many bus operators signing up to the fare cap, helping people to ‘Get Around for £2’ between the 1st January and 31st March.”
More information about the government fare cap scheme is available on the government website.
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