PLANS TO SLASH SOUTH YORKSHIRE BUS AND TRAM FARES

Published 19 October 2022 at 9:35am

South Yorkshire bus and tram fares will be capped at £2 from 1 November, as Mayor Oliver Coppard sets out bold plans to combat the cost-of-living crisis.

The price freeze will apply across South Yorkshire more than two months ahead of a national £2 cap on bus journeys between January and March.

The £600k boost from the Mayoral Combined Authority will see passengers save up to 50% on some trips and reduce the cost of over 700,000 journeys that cost more than £2.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard, said: “As we head into winter, I know just how many people in South Yorkshire are worrying about feeding their families, heating their homes, and affording the very day to day basics as the cost of living continues to spiral.

“Public transport is part of the solution. That’s why we’re not just introducing the £2 fare cap early here in South Yorkshire, we’re extending it to include trams.

“Because while the Government’s temporary fare cap is welcome, it doesn’t go far enough to support the thousands of people in our region who rely on our buses and tram network. Alongside the Zoom Beyond fares at just 80p for young people, we now have some of the best public transport fares in the country.

“We have a broken public transport network here in South Yorkshire but bit by bit we’re making things better for the travelling public. This is just another step on that journey.”

Bus and Supertram journeys which already cost under £2 will not be affected.

The move follows a £12.3 million rescue package from South Yorkshire’s Mayoral Combined Authority to protect bus routes and school services from cuts by operators.