Oxfordshire welcomes return of £2 single bus fare cap
Oxfordshire County Council has welcomed the Prime Minister’s decision to cap single bus fares at £2 in England from 1 January 2027.
The announcement came days after the council wrote to the government asking for financial help for the sector following the local authority’s reluctant decision to raise prices of the multi-operator Oxfordshire-wide daily and weekly MyBus ticket.
The government’s decision to increase the cap from £2 to £3 from 1 January 2025 had a direct impact on the need to increase the MyBus prices. It meant that the savings offered by the MyBus tickets became more attractive, increasing sales, while also increasing the cost per ticket to the council.
Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “Following my letter calling for the £2 bus fare cap to be reinstated, I am delighted that the government has listened and reversed the previous Prime Minister's decision. This will make bus travel more affordable for thousands of people.
“If we are serious about tackling climate change and reducing Oxfordshire's chronic congestion, buses must be an affordable, convenient and comfortable alternative to the car. Reinstating the £2 fare cap is a welcome step in the right direction.
“There is still more to do. We need continued investment in more frequent services, better reliability and improved infrastructure, which we are working tirelessly with our operators on delivering through the Oxfordshire Enhanced Partnership, if we are to encourage many more people to choose the bus. But making fares cheaper is an important part of that journey.”
Because the new fare cap won't come in until 1 January 2027, Oxfordshire County Council is unable to immediately reduce the MyBus fare but will now be able to review the pricing structure next year.
The previous national £2 fare cap, which began on 1 January 2023, was popular in Oxfordshire with nine county bus providers taking part in the scheme.
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