That this House notes the £2 bus fare cap helps millions of bus users with the cost of living and encourages higher ridership; further notes the upcoming fare cap hike will significantly increase costs for bus users and make bus travel less accessible, especially in rural areas; regrets the steep decline in access to buses under the last Government with more than 1 billion fewer passenger journeys in 2023 than 2015; further regrets the 59% increase in fare prices between 2015 and 2023; notes that nearly a third of bus journeys are made by elderly, disabled and young people and that these groups will be particularly disadvantaged by the fare hike; notes that inadequate access to buses exacerbates regional and other inequalities; recognises the importance of access to convenient, frequent and affordable buses for employment and quality of life, particularly in rural areas; calls on the Government to urgently provide promised new powers to franchise buses to all local authorities and provide the resources to switch to zero-emission vehicles and expand bus services, including on demand provision; and further calls on the Government to reverse the increase in the fare cap so that buses remain affordable for communities across the country.
Signatories (43)
- Mr Paul Kohler Sponsor
- Tim Farron
- Anna Sabine
- Wera Hobhouse
- Olly Glover
- Helen Morgan
- Martin Wrigley
- Caroline Voaden
- Adam Dance
- Claire Young
- John Milne
- Liz Jarvis
- Dr Roz Savage
- Ian Sollom
- Dr Al Pinkerton
- Susan Murray
- Helen Maguire
- Steff Aquarone
- Freddie van Mierlo
- Tom Morrison
- Rachel Gilmour
- Ian Roome
- John McDonnell
- Calum Miller
- Siân Berry
- Mike Martin
- Edward Morello
- Carla Denyer
- Steve Darling
- Ellie Chowns
- Sarah Dyke
- Ayoub Khan
- Richard Foord
- Sarah Gibson
- Charlotte Cane
- Adrian Ramsay
- Luke Taylor
- Mr Lee Dillon
- Iqbal Mohamed
- Manuela Perteghella
- Alex Brewer
- Pippa Heylings
- James MacCleary