The Go-Ahead Group has carried 60 million passengers under the national £2 bus fare cap in England since the scheme’s introduction in 2023.
Such a figure represents more than the population of England, the group notes. Among operating companies, the biggest seller of the £2 national fare cap ticket is Brighton and Hove Buses and Metrobus, which has carried more than 15 million of the passengers quoted.
Highlighted by the group is particularly strong patronage growth on some routes while the scheme has been in operation.
East Yorkshire Buses’ X46 service between Hull and York has seen usage increase by 46%, while Carousel Buses’ 102 between High Wycombe and Heathrow has recorded a 40% uplift. Metrobus’s 270 group between Crawley or East Grinstead and Brighton has grown by 30%, and Salisbury Reds’ X3 between that city and Bournemouth has risen by 25%.
Speaking about the success of the capped fare, Go-Ahead Managing Director, Regional Bus Martin Dean says: “In just over a year, we have sold a £2 bus ticket for every man, woman and child in England.
“That is great news. It shows that the £2 bus fare cap has encouraged our regular customers to get out and about more frequently, and it has attracted new passengers onto our buses.
“Longer bus services between towns and villages are proving particularly popular at £2. The success of the scheme is a reminder of just how important buses are in connecting communities and helping people to access vital local services.” Mr Dean previously described the £2 capped fare as “the right idea at the right time” for the bus industry in England.
Under-Secretary of State for Transport Guy Opperman adds that wider uptake of the £2 fare continues to grow. He adds that average fares in England outside London have fallen by over 6% off the back of the scheme, and by almost 11% in rural areas.
All of Go-Ahead’s regional bus companies outside London and Greater Manchester are participating in the scheme.
In the latter, its Go North West operation is part of a region-specific £2 fare cap project managed by Transport for Greater Manchester. An early report into that work, which includes a £5 day ticket, noted that 5% of users of either product did not travel by bus before its introduction.
