Ways to keep bus fares in Cambridgeshire capped at £2 to be considered

Bus waiting at a bus stop.
-Credit: (Image: Cambridge News)


Possible ways to keep bus fares in Cambridgeshire capped at £2 will be looked at, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has said. The authority has said it will consider options to offset the increase in the cap, but gave no guarantees at this stage. The £2 bus fare cap scheme was introduced by the previous government, which capped single bus fares at £2. This scheme had been due to come to an end on December 31.

However, last month the government announced it would continue to cap bus fares in 2025, but said the cap would be increased to £3 for a single journey. Earlier this month a call was made for the Combined Authority to consider subsidising fares across the county in order to keep the cost of a single bus journey for passengers at £2. Papers presented to a meeting of the board this week (November 13) said the Combined Authority is looking at the possible options around this.

The report said: “The authority is currently working to understand what the impact of [the cap increase] will be on passengers across the region and, together with partners, will consider the options for additional support to offset the increase in the cap and potential funding opportunities. It is intended that a further report will be presented to the board for consideration at the January meeting.”

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The Combined Authority’s draft budget for the next year is due to go out for consultation, where people will be asked their views on whether the Mayoral precept should be increased. Currently a Band D household pays £36 a year to the Combined Authority through the Mayoral precept. People in the area will be asked their views on whether the tax should remain at this level, or potentially be increased by 4.99 per cent, which would see a Band D household pay £37.80.

Councillor Anna Bailey (Conservative), leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council, said council tax levels were “becoming unsustainable”. She highlighted that her district council had frozen its share of council tax for 11 years and said it should not be a “fait accompli” that taxes should go up.

Councillor Sarah Conboy (Liberal Democrat), leader of Huntingdonshire District Council, said she was sure people would not be “thrilled” about an increase in the Mayoral precept, but said it was “right and proper” that the authority consulted on it. However, Cllr Conboy said people wanted public transport and said these services had to be funded somehow. Councillor Anna Smith (Labour), Deputy Mayor and representative from Cambridge City Council, stressed that there would be a consultation and said they should all be clear that “it is a consultation and not a fait accompli”.