Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Bus Fares to Remain Capped at £2 Until March

Single bus fares across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will continue to be capped at £2 per journey until at least the conclusion of March. The Combined Authority Board for the region sanctioned the allocation of £1m from the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) to subsidise these fares once the national cap increases to £3 in January. A special board meeting, chaired by Labour mayor Nik Johnson, convened on Friday to deliberate and vote on this matter. During the meeting, it was noted that funds from the BSIP were initially designated for establishing new services. Nevertheless, due to staffing constraints, these funds had not been entirely utilized. Attendees at the meeting were informed that the £1m would finance the subsidy for three months. It was also conveyed that the unspent funds needed to be expended within the 2024-5 fiscal year. The existence of this underspend was brought to attention by Anna Bailey, the Conservative leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council. She suggested to the assembly that the money might be better allocated to “resourcing the team” to facilitate the launch of additional services. Beyond the BSIP funds, the Combined Authority levies a mayoral precept as part of council tax. These specific funds are reserved exclusively for bus services. Both Ms. Bailey and Chris Boden, who leads Fenland District Council, drew attention to insufficient service provision in localities including Littleport, Whittlesey, and Chatteris. They contended that the fare cap would offer no benefit to individuals residing in areas without operational bus routes. Both Ms. Bailey and Mr. Boden chose to abstain from the vote, while the remaining board members cast their votes in support. Enhancing bus services throughout the region has been a primary objective for Dr. Johnson throughout his tenure as mayor. A public consultation regarding bus franchising concluded recently. Should these proposals proceed, bus operations would transition to direct control by the authority, rather than being managed by commercial entities. Dr. Johnson stated, “Government took an important step in supporting bus users by putting a £3 fare cap in place to the end of 2025.” He added, “As a Combined Authority, we also had the ability to act. Keeping fares as low as possible for our residents maintains our commitment to better buses, helping people get to places of work, education and leisure more affordably, and encouraging people to choose public transport.” The potential for a long-term extension of the fare cap is slated for discussion at the Combined Authority’s budget-setting session in January.