Member

Finally, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Pidgeon, for bringing forward Amendment 60, which would require the Secretary of State to establish a voluntary £2 cap on single bus fares in England, to be reviewed every three years. When the previous Government’s £2 cap ended at the end of 2024, the Government decided to introduce a new cap at £3 to prevent a cliff-edge return to commercial fares and to protect those who rely on most affordable bus services, while also allowing a significant saving to the taxpayer. The Government are providing funding of over £150 million to deliver the £3 cap in England, outside London, for the duration of 2025. Maintaining the cap at £2 for the entirety of 2025 would have cost an estimated £444 million, so the £3 cap still represents a significant saving for taxpayers. As I remarked on the first day on Report, it is also notable that the previous Government had failed to provide any further funding for the £2 cap outwith the closing months of last year.