Burnham described his announcement as ‘a glimmer of light in tough times’.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has been praised for his bold plans to help people during the cost of living crisis, as he confirmed that bus fares will be capped at £2 a journey and £5 a day from September.
Burnham described his announcement as ‘a glimmer of light in tough times’ in a tweet today.
He wrote: “We’re confirming today that our cap on bus fares will be in place for the start of the first full working week in September.
▪£2 max single fare for adults
▪£1 max under-16s
▪£5/£2.50 unlimited travel in any day
▪Free for 16-18s.”
Shadow Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh described the announcement as fantastic news. She tweeted: “Labour mayors are bringing down fares and putting communities back in control of public transport.
“This is the difference Labour in power makes.”
Burnham said that the measures would be paid for by more people using buses.
“Many are a third or half full at the moment”, he said.
He announced the new fare structure after winning the first legal challenge mounted by bus operators Rotala and Stagecoach earlier this year. However, in June, he said he would fast-track his plans to slash fares by the end of the summer.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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