Mayor seeks to extend £2.50 bus cap

Local people like the bus cap, according to Kim McGuinness

A mayor is seeking to limit the cost of a single bus ticket to £2.50 for longer.

The cost of a single journey on a bus in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, and County Durham has been capped at 50p cheaper than the national rate this year.

The discount, which has been subsidised by the North East Combined Authority, is due to end on 31 December.

But North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said she wanted to keep the cheaper fares until "at least" March 2026.

"Local people have told me they value it, and it helps them save money," she said.

"At our cabinet meeting later this month, I'll be making the case to extend the £2.50 fare…using existing funding until at least March 2026 to begin with, while we work with government for clarity on bus funding in the longer term."

In June the government announced that the £3 cap on bus fares, covering most bus journeys in England, would last until at least March 2027.

There are separate bus caps in London and Manchester.

The cap, which was first introduced in January 2023, was increased to £3 from £2 at the start of this year.