£2 Price Cap on fares in England - Now extended beyond October 2023

[jon0844]

In regards to Ticketer, if paying by card it seems to vary by operator at what point you should put your card down.

There's also the delay because you have to wait for a ticket (or tickets) to be printed. Given they're flat-rate singles, you don't really need a ticket unless you need the receipt for tax purposes, or in case of a ticket inspection (how many bus companies outside of cities do these?).

Given it's temporary, even if extended, I suppose there's no incentive to change anything to make it quicker.

 

[RT4038]

Given it's temporary, even if extended, I suppose there's no incentive to change anything to make it quicker.

Exactly this.

 

[duncanp]

National Express West Midlands has said it's reviewing continuing with the scheme, while simultaneously announcing fare rises.

Arriva Herts and Essex have also made similar vague statements which don't look promising

I can't help but think that National Express West Midlands are announcing a fares increase now in order to try and bounce the government into giving them more money in order to continue participating in the scheme, as this extract from their website suggests.

Why is the single not staying £2?
The current scheme ends on 30th June. The Government has announced they are extending the £2 fare scheme until 31 October 2023. We are reviewing whether we continue to participate in the Government’s forthcoming new £2 fare cap scheme after 1st July.

Presumably the new scheme continues reimbursement to the bus operators at the existing rate, whereas National Express West Midlands want more, given that their costs have increased, especially following the pay increase that settled the strike in March.


If they withdraw from the scheme, the single fare will go up from £2 to £2.70, which is a 35% increase.

The concessionary fare for ENCTS pass holders (such as myself) who need to travel before 9:30 am Mondays - Fridays goes up from £1 to £1.50, and the daily cap goes up from £4 to £4.50.

 

[Wolfie]

I can't help but think that National Express West Midlands are announcing a fares increase now in order to try and bounce the government into giving them more money in order to continue participating in the scheme, as this extract from their website suggests.



Presumably the new scheme continues reimbursement to the bus operators at the existing rate, whereas National Express West Midlands want more, given that their costs have increased, especially following the pay increase that settled the strike in March.


If they withdraw from the scheme, the single fare will go up from £2 to £2.70, which is a 35% increase.

The concessionary fare for ENCTS pass holders (such as myself) who need to travel before 9:30 am Mondays - Fridays goes up from £1 to £1.50, and the daily cap goes up from £4 to £4.50.

They aren't the only bus company to do this. Arriva Midlands North had a fare rise in, l believe, late April or early May.

 

[ChrisC]

I can't help but think that National Express West Midlands are announcing a fares increase now in order to try and bounce the government into giving them more money in order to continue participating in the scheme, as this extract from their website suggests.

Presumably the new scheme continues reimbursement to the bus operators at the existing rate, whereas National Express West Midlands want more, given that their costs have increased, especially following the pay increase that settled the strike in March.

If they withdraw from the scheme, the single fare will go up from £2 to £2.70, which is a 35% increase.

The concessionary fare for ENCTS pass holders (such as myself) who need to travel before 9:30 am Mondays - Fridays goes up from £1 to £1.50, and the daily cap goes up from £4 to £4.50.

Stagecoach East Midlands have also just increased their fares by quite a considerable amount. Unfortunately in Nottinghamshire, like many shire counties, outside of the City of Nottingham there are no multi-operator tickets available. We don’t have daily caps of only £4 or £4.50. Last summer, before I got my ENTCS pass I couldn’t believe that I was able to travel from Birmingham out to Coventry and then on to Kenilworth and back, all for £4. Here a Stagecoach Dayrider has now increased from £7.70 to £8.50 and that only covers the one bus company.

I sometimes use the £2 fare to enable me to travel into Mansfield, 6 miles away, before I can use my ENTCS pass after 9.30 on Monday to Friday. Without the £2 fare that would now cost £5.20. My local bus service is subsidised by the county council and is in danger of being withdrawn. I have noticed a steady increase in the number of people using the bus route since the introduction of the £2 fare.

 

[duncanp]

Stagecoach East Midlands have also just increased their fares by quite a considerable amount. Unfortunately in Nottinghamshire, like many shire counties, outside of the City of Nottingham there are no multi-operator tickets available. We don’t have daily caps of only £4 or £4.50. Last summer, before I got my ENTCS pass I couldn’t believe that I was able to travel from Birmingham out to Coventry and then on to Kenilworth and back, all for £4. Here a Stagecoach Dayrider has now increased from £7.70 to £8.50 and that only covers the one bus company.

I sometimes use the £2 fare to enable me to travel into Mansfield, 6 miles away, before I can use my ENTCS pass after 9.30 on Monday to Friday. Without the £2 fare that would now cost £5.20. My local bus service is subsidised by the county council and is in danger of being withdrawn. I have noticed a steady increase in the number of people using the bus route since the introduction of the £2 fare.

I think the £2 price cap was originally intended to be a short term measure.

The government wants to continue this (quite possibly for electoral reasons) but as bus operators costs have increased in the meantime they are, not unreasonably, asking the government to pay a bit more to guarantee their continuing participation in the scheme.

 

[RT4038]

They aren't the only bus company to do this. Arriva Midlands North had a fare rise in, l believe, late April or early May.

Bus companies have suffered huge wage and parts cost inflation and cannot be expected to freeze fares (or have reimbursement for fare cuts frozen). Hence the increases.

 

[Wolfie]

Bus companies have suffered huge wage and parts cost inflation and cannot be expected to freeze fares (or have reimbursement for fare cuts frozen). Hence the increases.

I fully understand that.

 

[Man of Kent]

This is getting ridiculous now. It is now less than a fortnight away and it appears that for the majority of users they don't know what the fares will be in July!
In fact have any bus companies actually publicly confirmed one way or the other?
What a farce. Which I assume is down to the government.
Is anyone with any inside knowledge from a bus company able to share what is going on from their end?

Dept for Transport has indicated that they hope to get the letters out to operators with proposed values for reimbursement by the end of this week. Government deadlines do have a habit of being missed though...

 

[GusB]

Dept for Transport has indicated that they hope to get the letters out to operators with proposed values for reimbursement by the end of this week. Government deadlines do have a habit of being missed though...

Could you post the source of this information, please?

 

[DDB]

Dept for Transport has indicated that they hope to get the letters out to operators with proposed values for reimbursement by the end of this week. Government deadlines do have a habit of being missed though...

Giving the bus companies a whole week to do the sums, decide and tell the public the answer. That's if they make thier deadline. Ridiculous!

 

[Man of Kent]

Could you post the source of this information, please?

Verbal from DfT officials.

 

[Typhoon]

Giving the bus companies a whole week to do the sums, decide and tell the public the answer. That's if they make their deadline. Ridiculous!

You are being generous - it is an absolute shambles. They are potentially turning a policy positive into a big negative.

I have genuine sympathy for drivers; on 1st July* (a Saturday so not the worst day - and the weather forecast is drizzle, at least around here) there are likely to be companies that never participated, companies that did but did but have withdrawn (either through uncertainty or the money wasn't enough) or are continuing. Great if anyone is contemplating a journey that involves more than one operator!! There are still a few passengers who are getting on who have never heard of the scheme but at least the drivers are giving them good news; there is now the prospect of a passenger being told that not only is the £2 fare no longer operational but they are going to have to pay more than they did last year. Passengers may not have the money (not everyone pays by card) - certainly not the exact money, there might also be some who have switched to the £2 fare as it works out cheaper than their weekly ticket.

DfT has known this date is coming, so have ministers and the Treasury. How do they think companies are going to get their decision across to passengers in a week - particularly smaller operators who don't have the resources to pull people away from their main role.? (Please don't respond with 'twitter' - I rarely look as it's largely irrelevant, and I don't know many who do - diversions from places many miles away, cancellations that happened yesterday, I find out if a bus is coming (and where it is) through bustimes!). Even those companies who carry on may make the decision to pull out in November, fearing a repetition.

* -also 3rd July - schools still in session (at least in England).

 

[LUYMun]

I can't help but think that National Express West Midlands are announcing a fares increase now in order to try and bounce the government into giving them more money in order to continue participating in the scheme, as this extract from their website suggests.

Presumably the new scheme continues reimbursement to the bus operators at the existing rate, whereas National Express West Midlands want more, given that their costs have increased, especially following the pay increase that settled the strike in March.

If they withdraw from the scheme, the single fare will go up from £2 to £2.70, which is a 35% increase.

They aren't the only bus company to do this. Arriva Midlands North had a fare rise in, l believe, late April or early May.

Stagecoach East Midlands have also just increased their fares by quite a considerable amount. Unfortunately in Nottinghamshire, like many shire counties, outside of the City of Nottingham there are no multi-operator tickets available. We don’t have daily caps of only £4 or £4.50. Last summer, before I got my ENTCS pass I couldn’t believe that I was able to travel from Birmingham out to Coventry and then on to Kenilworth and back, all for £4. Here a Stagecoach Dayrider has now increased from £7.70 to £8.50 and that only covers the one bus company.

Bus companies have suffered huge wage and parts cost inflation and cannot be expected to freeze fares (or have reimbursement for fare cuts frozen). Hence the increases.

On the contrary, Stagecoach South have made amendments to their fares last weekend following their success from the £2 single cap, including reducing some DayRider fares (you're reading that right!), which also includes the DayRider Gold being reduced from £9.10 to £8.00.

However, I'm not suprised such a scheme would result in increases for other fares, particularly to returns and days. Just why single fares have been chosen rather than a multi-modal ticket (bonus points for multi-operator) was beyond me when this was announced last year. The single fare cap, in my opinion, could only be effective for a short-term, but now as this is being extended until late next year, just seems to hurt the bus industry more than the benefit this reaps. Hell, because the reimbursement is such a joke, halving the prices would be more straightforward and easier to calculate how much the DaFT owes!

 

[Deerfold]

Hell, because the reimbursement is such a joke, halving the prices would be more straightforward and easier to calculate how much the DaFT owes!

Do you know what reimbursement levels typically are?

 

[Delenn]

East Yorkshire are now saying end of October on their website.

As of this morning, Transdev Blazefield are saying til October 2023 on their websites (and also mentioning the 2.50 phase too). I was half expecting Coastliner to drop out, because of the overcrowding problems, but hopefully, the deal has been done to allow them to put a couple of peak buses on to get the tourists to Scarborough.

(This has been automerged, so therefore doesn't make sense. The East Yorkshire comment was Wednesday, the Transdev one Friday.)

 

[Deerfold]

Yorkshire Coastliner have confirmed they'll be doing £2 fares.

Oddly they've hidden this by updating a news item dated last December.

Sorry, we can't find this page!

www.transdevbus.co.uk

Yorkshire bus firm Coastliner today confirms the Government-supported £2-a-trip ‘Price Drop’ fare cap is to continue throughout its network linking Leeds and York with the North Yorkshire Coast until October.

The Government has confirmed plans to extend its support to bus operators, which means that a single journey on all parent firm Transdev’s buses including Coastliner will remain at just £2 until 30 October, slashing 87 per cent off the cost of a journey from Leeds to Scarborough or Whitby.

Today’s announcement also means the fare cap, promoted by Coastliner under its ‘Price Drop’ brand, will then be pegged back at £2.50 until November 2024, with a Government review of the initiative’s effectiveness planned ahead of that date.

For journeys on Coastliner and other Transdev buses wholly within West Yorkshire, the £2 fare cap is already in place and will remain so, with support from directly elected Mayor Tracy Brabin, through the Bus Service Improvement (BSIP) programme.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

East Yorkshire are now saying end of October on their website.

As of Friday morning, Transdev Blazefield are saying til October 2023 on their websites (and also mentioning the 2.50 phase too). I was half expecting Coastliner to drop out, because of the overcrowding problems, but hopefully, the deal has been done to allow them to put a couple of peak buses on to get the tourists to Scarborough.

The East Yorkshire comment was Wednesday, the Transdev one Friday.)

The £2.50 flat fare comes in use come October going by Traveline (which is how I found out about the 50p price increase, see link below), as far as I'm aware the £2.50 flat fare will be in the counties that are managed by the National scheme - the Combined Authority BSIP funded scheme could possibly remain as £2 beyond October unless plans are being put in place for that too to be upped to £2.50 in line with the National scheme.

I would not at all be suprised to see the flat fare being increased to £3 come November 2024, only time will tell.

https://www.traveline.info/2023/04/04/get-around-for-2-by-bus-extended/

 

[Deerfold]

The £2.50 flat fare comes in use come October going by Traveline (which is how I found out about the 50p price increase, see link below), as far as I'm aware the £2.50 flat fare will be in the counties that are managed by the National scheme - the Combined Authority BSIP funded scheme could possibly remain as £2 beyond October unless plans are being put in place for that too to be upped to £2.50 in line with the National scheme.

I would not at all be suprised to see the flat fare being increased to £3 come November 2024, only time will tell.

https://www.traveline.info/2023/04/04/get-around-for-2-by-bus-extended/

Manchester has already confirmed the £2 fare for at least another year as per yesterday.

Better off with the Bee Network: New tickets to make travel 20% cheaper in Greater Manchester

Better off with the Bee Network: New tickets to make travel 20% cheaper in Greater Manchester

www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk

The move follows the introduction of daily capped bus fares last September, brought in a year earlier than planned to help with the cost of living, that are now being extended for at least another year, until September 2024. The fares – capped at £2 for single journeys (£1 for children) and £5 for an AnyBus all day travelcard (£2.50 for children) – have proved hugely popular with customers and have contributed to an estimated 12% increase in bus trips.

 

[Hophead]

Oxford Bus are announcing on their home page that the £2 fare will continue till the end of October. Go South Coast companies have not updated their pages and still show end of June (that's the end of this coming week!) as the end date. Same goes for Brighton & Hove / Metrobus / Southdown, as well as Compass Bus.

 

[JKP]

Interestingly, Borders Buses have announced that they will be participating in the £2 scheme on English routes until October but not cross Border to and from Scotland. This company has to my knowledge not participated previously. It means that travel between Berwick and Wooler or Berwick and Holy Island now costs a maximum of £2. It is uncertain whether you can travel wholly in Northumberland on the 67 for £2.

 

[317 forever]

On the contrary, Stagecoach South have made amendments to their fares last weekend following their success from the £2 single cap, including reducing some DayRider fares (you're reading that right!), which also includes the DayRider Gold being reduced from £9.10 to £8.00.

However, I'm not suprised such a scheme would result in increases for other fares, particularly to returns and days. Just why single fares have been chosen rather than a multi-modal ticket (bonus points for multi-operator) was beyond me when this was announced last year. The single fare cap, in my opinion, could only be effective for a short-term, but now as this is being extended until late next year, just seems to hurt the bus industry more than the benefit this reaps. Hell, because the reimbursement is such a joke, halving the prices would be more straightforward and easier to calculate how much the DaFT owes!

An omission of sorts is that this £2 single has come in but day tickets have not been reduced. So, sometimes people will find it more cost-effective to pay 4 or 5 single fares, delaying each bus a little, than to buy a day ticket. Using 4 or 5 Transdev buses for £2 each rather than a Daytripper for £14 (in some cases) is an example.

 

[Deerfold]

An omission of sorts is that this £2 single has come in but day tickets have not been reduced. So, sometimes people will find it more cost-effective to pay 4 or 5 single fares, delaying each bus a little, than to buy a day ticket. Using 4 or 5 Transdev buses for £2 each rather than a Daytripper for £14 (in some cases) is an example.

Yes, Transdev had been one of the more successful operators at getting people to use their app and buy off-bus.

They have put the £2 tickets on the app, but there's not the usual attractive discount and most people just need 2 x single tickets so services have slowed noticeably.

 

[cav1975]

Southern Vectis has annonuced that the £2 fare will continue until October.

Great news! The £2 fare continues all summer long

Find out about the £2 fare cap extension here

www.islandbuses.info

"
It's great news for bus passengers on the island as the £2 fare cap will continue until 31 October 2023.

Here at Southern Vectis we signed up to the Department for Transport (DfT) scheme which is part of the Help for Households initiative - which restricts the cost of a single bus fare - at the beginning of the year. The fare cap was originally set to end on 31 March 2023 but has now been extended for the second time to the end of October 2023.

The aim, in the long term, is to encourage more people to shift their travel habits from using their cars to taking more sustainable methods of transport. One double decker bus has the potential to take up to 75 cars off our roads - and that can have a significant effect on the air quality in our region caused by too many cars on our roads.

As the £2 fare is so simple we would also like to encourage as many people to use tap on tap off paperless ticketing - just tap your contactless card on the ticket machine with the driver and tap off at the reader by the door as you leave - correct fares will be automatically calculated for you.

Please note that our Breezers, the Island Coaster and the Shanklin Shuttle are all exempt from this scheme. Click here to view the full list of exempt routes.
"

 

[ThameslinkUser]

As have Brighton and Hove thankfully!

 

[bussnapperwm]

Diamond Bus Midlands have also announced they're remaining in the £2 scheme

WM Ticket Changes | Diamond Bus

www.diamondbuses.com

Additionally, Diamond Bus are pleased to announce that we will also continue to take part in the Government funded £2 fare cap scheme until the end of October 2023, So you can still travel on the majority of eligible services for just £2 per trip. Making bus travel even more accessible for everyone.

 

[duncanp]

Diamond Bus Midlands have also announced they're remaining in the £2 scheme

As have National Express West Midlands.

 

[156421]

Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire also confirmed as continuing with scheme. Good news for Lake District travel during the summer (cheaper than trains and no planned bus strikes).

 

[GusB]

If anyone is reporting that their local company is extending their £2 scheme, please include a link to the relevant website (along with a quote). It would be appreciated if the most recent posts are edited accordingly.

Thanks

 

[43055]

trentbarton is continuing (or starting in January )

£2 single fare

The £2 single fare cap is a Government funded scheme that will be introduced from 1 January until 31 October.

www.trentbarton.co.uk

The £2 single fare cap is a Government funded scheme that will be introduced from 1 January until 31 October.