Stagecoach announced today (December 19) that it is extending its maximum fare of £2 for a single bus journey until the end of June 2024 – with negotiations then to take place to roll it on to the end of December 2024.
Earlier this year the government announced the fare cap would run until the end of next year but a Stagecoach spokesperson confirmed the funding arrangement agreed between the government and bus operators is for a 6 month period. The second half of the year will depend upon another round of funding negotiations.
The offer, part of the National Bus Fare Cap scheme, was first launched in January 2023.
The £2 offer, part of the Government’s Help for Households campaign, has helped bus customers save money but has also boosted local economies and communities with 23% of Stagecoach surveyed £2 single ticket customers said they were making trips they wouldn’t otherwise have made.
A similar proportion of customers reported they had switched some journeys from private vehicles to the bus.
Claire Miles, Chief Executive Officer for Stagecoach said: “We are delighted to continue our participation in the £2 fare offer until at least the end of June 2024, giving more people the chance to see where the bus can take them.
“Around 10 million people in England live within walking distance of one of our bus stops, so we’re hoping that people will take the opportunity to get out of their cars and give the bus a try for the bargain price of just £2 for a single ticket.”
Stagecoach bus tickets can either be bought on the Stagecoach Bus App in advance of travel, or on the bus using contactless payment including Apple and Google Pay, or using cash.
