LONDON: British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Wednesday announced plans to reduce the maximum price of single bus tickets in England outside London to £2, as part of a package of measures aimed at easing cost-of-living pressures.
The fare cap, which will take effect in January, will reduce the current maximum fare of £3. Earlier this week, Burnham also announced the removal of a tax on domestic electricity bills from October 1, a move the government said would save households around £45 a year.
How will the plan be funded?
The UK government said the bus fare cap will cost more than £500 million, with £100 million to come from the existing transport budget and £400 million from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero by converting grants for international climate projects into loans.
Burnham said the measures are intended to provide households with greater financial relief while improving transport connectivity. The fare cap will apply outside London, which operates under a separate regulated fare system.