The £2 bus fare cap was launched on 1 January 2023. The scheme supported bus operators to implement a £2 cap on eligible single tickets for adults.

The aims of the fare cap were to save passengers money and encourage more people back on the bus.

The aims of this evaluation were:

To find out the extent to which the bus fare cap achieves its aims of saving bus passengers money and encouraging greater bus usage
To understand how the fare cap is experienced across the country by bus users and non-users
The report includes baseline trends from the period before the £2 bus fare cap scheme was introduced, including trends in bus usage and the cost of bus travel.

Observations from the first month of the £2 bus fare cap scheme include:

take-up of the scheme varied by region, rurality, household income and car ownership
awareness of the scheme was high with national news acting as the main channel for raising awareness
early evidence suggests a potentially positive impact on patronage and the cost of living

The evaluation is ongoing and further findings will be published when completed.

The government’s vision for buses and approach to delivery

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