The £2 bus fare cap will be reinstated from January in most areas across England, the government has announced this morning.
The cap will be for a single fare, and last for all of 2027.
More than £500m of funding, will be reallocated from money earmarked for international climate finance as well as existing transport funding to pay for the scheme.
The £2 cap was first imposed in early 2023, before rising to £3 at the start of 2025.
Some areas have kept the £2 cap, including Greater Manchester – which Burnham ran until last month. Single fares in London are £1.75.
The government says the last £2 fare cap led to an extra 30 million journeys taken by bus across 10 months.
“Good, affordable transport links are an essential. No one should be priced out of those and left behind,” the prime minister said.
He added: “But for too long people have said that cheaper transport isn’t an option. I don’t accept that. I’ve done it before and I will do it again now: a £2 cap on bus fares for millions across the country.”
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the fare cut would help “keep people connected to work, school, healthcare and their friends and family”.
Yesterday, Burnham told the first meeting of his cabinet they will be a “cost of living government” and urged them all to look at ways they can help with the cost of living in their areas.
