In his first visit since becoming Prime Minister, this morning Andy Burnham joined the West of England’s Mayor at the First Bus depot in Bath.
Welcomingthe £2 bus fare cap announced today, Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said:
“It was brilliant to welcome our new Prime Minister to Bath so early in his premiership, and to show off some of our new green buses. It was even better to hear that the £2 bus fare cap will be reintroducedfor adult journeys!
“This is really welcome news for passengers across the West Country, building on money-saving initiatives like Kids Go Free – which is rolling out nationally this August following our successful regionalpilot over the last year.”
Notes
- Since Kids Go Free launched in the West of England last July, the summer, Christmas, and Easter school holidays have seen around 1.4 million free journeys taken- with the regional scheme recently extended until at least 2029, following research which found that 94% of parents agreed that free travel increased opportunities and independence for their children, and a £100 million national version launching this August
- Last summer saw a 98% increase in children travelling by bus from the lowest-income areas of the region during Kids Go Free, compared to the previous year when fares were charged
- Outside of the big school holidays, children’s bus fares in the West of England have been frozen at £1 until at least 2029, saving families millions – alongside the recent extension of year-round free travel for care leavers from the age of 16-25
