Winter fare cap for travellers using buses, Metro and Shields Ferry

Single bus fares in the North East are to be capped at £2 for the next three months, in line with a national ‘Help for Households’ government promotion to encourage people back on to public transport.

The £2 cap will come into effect from New Year’s Day and run to March 31, backed by £60million Government funding and offering a saving of 30% on the average single fare of £2.80 on most routes across the North East .

The cap will apply on any Go North East, Stagecoach or Arriva bus service. The promotion will also apply to a number of local-authority funded services using smaller bus operators, and public transport overseer Nexus has funded its own version of the fare cap on the Metro and Shields Ferry.

‘We warmly welcome this Government initiative’

Coun Martin Gannon is Chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee: “We’re a region focused on helping people get back onto bus, so we warmly welcome this Government initiative, which will make the nation’s most popular sustainable form of transport more affordable and will help to boost bus ridership at a crucial time for the industry,” he said.

“Welcome though it is, we would ideally like to see the Government extend the fare cap beyond March for longer, if not indefinitely, to make sure that it has a real impact.”

“As a region we are working on bringing bus fares for young people right down, along with attractive region-wide multi-operator day tickets through our ambitious North East Bus Services Improvement Plan (BSIP).

"We are ready to roll this out once funding is confirmed by the Government.”

The scheme will reduce carbon emissions in the region by taking cars off the road - a move that will benefit the environment as well as the health and well-being of residents who are currently dealing with higher than average levels of air pollution in the region.

It is also hoped the capped fare, and forthcoming BSIP ticketing will provide relief to those travelling for education, work, medical appointments and leisure purposes amid the cost of living crisis.