West Yorkshire price-capped bus travel plan approved

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority bus plan will now be submitted to the Department for Transport

Plans to cap the cost of a day's bus travel in West Yorkshire and create a greener bus fleet have been approved by the county's combined authority.

If given the final go-ahead, the Bus Service Improvement Plan would see the daily cost of travelling on buses run by different firms limited to £5.50.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority is bidding for a share of a national £3bn bus strategy fund.

The plans will now be submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT).

They were approved at a meeting of the combined authority on Friday and are aimed at increasing bus use in the county by 6% in four years.

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The authority said it also hoped the plans would help cut average bus journey times by 5% over the same time frame, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The West Yorkshire plan aims to increase the frequency of services and boost the number of morning and evening services

The plan could see more routes running services every 15 minutes or quicker, with an increase in early morning and evening services.

Taxis for passengers would also be paid for if the day's final bus was cancelled, according to the proposals being put to the DfT.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: "Our new, ambitious Bus Service Improvement Plan is a major step towards my pledge to bring buses back under public control, introduce simpler fares, contactless ticketing and safer, greener buses.

"We want buses to be the first choice for travel in West Yorkshire - not because you don't have a car, but because they're more affordable, convenient to use, and better for the environment."

The DfT funding is expected to be distributed in early 2022.

A day of free bus travel in West Yorkshire is also due to take place on 31 October to raise awareness of the COP26 climate summit.

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