MP asks Minister to make £2 cap on bus fares permanent
Cumbrian MP Tim Farron has written to the Minister for Local Transport, Richard Holden, encouraging him to extend the cap on bus fares indefinitely.
Last month, the Government introduced a £2 cap on single bus fares. However this is set to come to an end on March 31st.
Tim has asked the Department for Transport to make the cap "a permanent fixture"" to help people with the cost of living, ease congestion, support businesses and tackle climate change.
In a letter to the Minister, Tim said: "Here in the Lake District, we have some of the highest bus fares anywhere in the country so this has been a great initiative in making it more affordable for people to travel by public transport.
"During the summer, we also have some of the most congested roads in the country, given that 85% of visitors travel here by car and many of our roads connecting our tourist hotspots are single track.
"By extending the cap into the summer months, this will lead to more people opting to travel around our beautiful part of the world by bus rather than car, which will lead to much less congestion with clear benefits for businesses and the environment too.
"In such a rural area as Cumbria, where many people often live miles away from the nearest shop, cheaper bus fares will provide a real shot in the arm for our struggling town centres by dramatically increasing their footfall.
"Therefore I implore you to extend the £2 cap beyond the end of March and keep it as a permanent fixture."