£2 bus cap in West Yorkshire to remain in place until March

The Department for Transport is set to give £36.1million to West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) for its Bus Service Improvement Plan.

This will allow WYCA to continue to cap single bus fares in the region at £2, and MCard DaySaver tickets at £5, until the end of March 2025.

An announcement on West Yorkshire future bus fares for April 2025 onwards is expected later this week.

Mayor Tracy Brabin said: “We are committed to keeping bus fares as low and affordable as possible, while investing in protecting the bus network across the region.

"Because we know that in order to deliver on the growth mission we must have a better-connected region. 

“Our Mayor's fares scheme has helped get more people using buses in West Yorkshire, and I’m pleased to confirm that the £2 fare will be extended until the end of March. We will provide an update on future plans later this week.”

Mayor Brabin introduced the so-called ‘Mayor’s Fares’ in September 2022 to make travel around the region easier and cheaper amid the cost-of-living crisis. 

This initiative was followed by the Government in January 2023, with the rollout of a £2 national fare.

(Image: T&A) A full combined authority meeting with West Yorkshire leaders will take place on November 29, where bus fares beyond March 2025 are expected to be set. 

Proposals will be set out this coming week for a new fare cap in West Yorkshire after March 2025.

In the recent Autumn Budget, the new Labour Government announced the fare cap would rise to £3 at a national level.

During a meeting of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, councillors across the region were told that the future of the £2 Mayor’s Fare was dependent on how much West Yorkshire was allocated from the Government’s latest round of funding.

Nationally the Bus Service Improvement Plan funding is worth £640m.

Councillor Matt Edwards, pictured (Image: Green Party) Councillor Matt Edwards, leader of the Greens on Bradford Council, wrote to Mayor Brabin urging her to keep the £2 cap.

His letter to the Mayor said: “We are writing to urge you to follow the lead of your counterpart in Greater Manchester and maintain the £2 bus fare cap across West Yorkshire.

“In September 2022, West Yorkshire became the first area in England to introduce a £2 fare cap and this has had a significant impact for bus users across our region.

“Despite this, bus users, particularly those across Bradford District have had to endure a difficult year following the closure of Bradford Interchange and now disruption caused by staff shortages impacting Arriva services."

He added: “Increasing bus use is one of the simplest ways we can reduce emissions in our region.

“Using the bus instead of taking the car can help reduce CO2 emissions by 42 per cent."