I am pleased to report that the government is to invest a further £1,490,492 in bus services across Shropshire. This additional funding to Shropshire Council will mean that our area has benefitted from a total of £2,980,984 in funding to support bus services since 2022.
The investment comes from the £80 million Bus Services Improvement Plan 2024-25 fund, of which there have been three rounds – building on the £80 million invested in 2023-24 and £1 billion invested in 2022. It comes on top of a further £140 million announced in May from the extension of the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG).
To help people with the cost of living and save on everyday travel costs, the government has also invested £200 million to extend the bus fare cap, with single bus tickets capped at £2 outside London until the end of October 2023 and then at £2.50 until 30 November 2024.
The £2 fare cap has cut travel costs, particularly in rural areas, where buses are crucial for so many people to get around, with the average fare dropping by 10.8 per cent in rural and non-metropolitan parts of England.
