COMMENT
On the morning of Thursday, May 18, I received a phone call from BBC Radio West Midlands. Having not yet made it to my computer to start the working day and check the news, I was surprised to hear the reason they wanted to speak to me. It was for my reaction to the £2 single fare scheme in England being extended to the end of October.
I was astonished by the news, particularly as I had met buses minister Richard Holden at the Confederation of Passenger Transport’s annual conference. There, he had said that while he would fight to extend the length of the scheme, he did not expect to be successful. The conversation set expectations that the £2 fare cap would be a six-month event.
The announcement also stated that after October 31st, the single fare cap will not go away entirely. It will increase to £2.50, and run all the way through to November 2024, when there will be a review. There is potential it could continue even further.
