South Shropshire MP Philip Dunne has welcomed additional funding for to bus services in Shropshire and across England. The government today announced further investment of £500 million, to  ensure passengers continue to benefit from affordable bus travel.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper has confirmed that £300 million of this funding will be used to protect essential routes and enhance services until 2025.

To keep daily travel costs low, the government is providing up to £200 million to maintain the current fare cap of £2 for single bus journeys outside London until October 2023. From then until November 2024, the fare cap will be set at £2.50.

The government's aim in implementing these measures is to provide greater certainty for bus passengers over the next year, especially as inflation us expected to fall by the end of 2023. The fare cap will undergo a review before November 2024.

Commenting, Philip Dunne stated,

“The extension of the fare cap is a significant help in ensuring accessible and affordable bus travel.  By extending the £2 fare cap, this will help keep living costs lower.

“I am pleased the Government is providing £1.49m to Shropshire Council to maintain our bus routes. Across England half a billion pounds has been committed to by Transport Secretary Mark Harper to keep bus operators and local authorities in a position to promote and expand services”.