The Department for Transport has announced further funding to allow the £2 single bus fare cap to be extended until the end of October.
The scheme has been running since the start of 2023 and was initially planned to run until the end of March. This was extended until the end of June, and now the latest announcement means the £2 single far will run until the end of October 2023. Prior to the scheme, a single fare from Ventnor to Newport could cost you £4.50.
Slight rise afterwards
Added to that there would then a £2.50 cap for a single journey for the following 13 months.
Bus operators nationally have warned that the funding would not be enough to save every service.
Southern Vectis
News OnTheWight has asked Southern Vectis – who have taken part in the scheme so far – whether they intend to extend the £2 cap until the end of October and introduce the £2.50 cap thereafter.
A spokesperson for Southern Vectis confirmed to News OnTheWight that the bus operator does intend to extend the £2 fare cap to end of October.
Andrew Wickham, Southern Vectis managing director, said,
“I am delighted to confirm that Southern Vectis will continue to offer the £2 fare cap – in line with the government’s announcement that the initiative will be extended.
“It will allow us to continue offering low-cost bus fares and it will help to protect many routes relied upon by local people.
“The aim, in the long term, is to encourage more people to shift their travel habits from using their cars to taking more sustainable methods of transport. One double decker bus has the potential to take up to 75 cars off our roads – and that can have a significant effect on the quality of air we breathe here on the Isle of Wight.”
Southern Vectis customers will be able to travel on any single journey on any of the operator’s buses – however, The Breezer, The Island Coaster, Shanklin Shuttle and school routes numbered higher than 100 (those not contracted by the IWC) are excluded from the scheme.
They can also use any payment method – including tap on, tap off contactless, the app, and cash.
Article edit
11.50am 17th May 2023 – Comment from SV added
12.56pm 17th May 2023 – Items added to the list of excluded routes
Source: The Guardian
