It has been announced that the \u00a32 bus fare cap will remain in place until the end of 2025 \u2013 despite the national fare cap rising to \u00a33 in January this year.<\/p>\n
The decision offers support to residents ahead of the festive season and forms part of the Mayor\u2019s wider strategy to make public transport more affordable and accessible across the Liverpool City Region, especially as the bus network transitions to franchising and public ownership.<\/p>\n
Introduced by the Mayor in September 2022 with funding from the region\u2019s Bus Services Improvement Plan (BSIP) settlement, the \u00a32 fare cap has helped bus passenger numbers bounce back following the pandemic.<\/p>\n
Last November the Mayor extended the city region\u2019s \u00a32 bus fare cap until September 2025, in response to the national fare cap rising to \u00a33 in January 2025.<\/p>\n
Since its introduction, more passengers than ever have enjoyed cheaper journeys \u2013 including savings on cross-river services. The \u00a32 fare cap has transformed bus from being the most expensive to the least expensive way to cross the River Mersey.<\/p>\n
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI promised that we\u2019d cap fares for three years, not only have we done that, we\u2019ve been able to extend this even further.<\/p>\n \u201cBy keeping bus fares capped at \u00a32 until the end of 2025, we\u2019re making sure that people can continue to get to work, school, and appointments without worrying about rising travel costs. At a time when many other parts of the country are seeing fares increase, we\u2019re choosing to do things differently here in the Liverpool City Region \u2013 making public transport more affordable, fairer, and better for everyone.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd with the busy \u2014 and often expensive \u2014 Christmas period around the corner, I\u2019m glad this decision will give families a little extra breathing space too. It\u2019s one of the ways we\u2019re putting money back into people\u2019s pockets and encouraging more people to use our fantastic public transport system.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Bus travel is the most popular form of public transport in the Liverpool City Region, accounting for over 80 per cent of all journeys made every day.<\/p>\n Since taking office, the Mayor has delivered major improvements to public transport across the Liverpool City Region \u2013 putting passengers first.<\/p>\n Key milestones include the introduction of \u00a3500 million publicly owned trains and the launch of the \u2018Tap and Go\u2019 smart ticketing system on Merseyrail, making travel more convenient and accessible.<\/p>\n Supporting young people remains a priority, with the MyTicket fare cap allowing unlimited all-day bus travel for just \u00a32.20. Earlier this year, the Mayor also introduced a free travel pass for care leavers aged 18\u201321, helping them move into independent living with greater confidence and freedom.<\/p>\n The Combined Authority continues to champion inclusive travel, offering one of the most generous concessionary schemes in the country. Merseyside residents aged 60 and over benefit from free travel on buses, trains, and cross-river Mersey Ferry commuter services, helping to ensure they remain connected to their communities and essential services.<\/p>\n Find out more information on the Merseytravel website<\/a>. Find out what\u2019s good up North on our new platform, The Northern Guide.\u00a0 \n
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\nFrom the best hotels, beauty spots, days out, food and more up North \u2013 visit\u00a0thenorthernguide.com<\/a>\u00a0and follow The Northern Guide on Instagram\u00a0HERE.<\/a><\/p>\n