Southern Vectis bus fares are set to rise to £3 from the New Year, following an announcement from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
The new £3 cap will run until the end of 2025. This is an increase on the current flat rate of £2, introduced under the previous Conservative government to help with the cost of living.
The announcement – applying to bus fares throughout England – is set to be made in the forthcoming budget.
The present £2 limit is believed to be no longer fiscally sustainable for taxpayers and bus operators according to Department for Transport (DfT) analysis. The initial scheme cost £200million in the first 10 months of its implementation.
However, the passenger price hike may result in fewer people choosing to get the bus to work, school and hospital appointments.
The Confederation of Passenger Transport have said:
“An increase to £3 will still present challenges for many passengers, particularly those who rely on buses as their primary means of affordable travel.”
Former Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely has commented:
“Bye bye £2 bus fares on the Isle of Wight.
“Under Labour, pensioners worse off, bus users worse off.
“Perhaps Labour does not think think they are/were ‘working people’.”
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has said:
“Buses are the engines of economic opportunity across the country.
“We know that reliable, affordable bus services are vital to keeping Britain moving. That’s why the Government will cap fares at £3 for an additional year and provide over £1 billion to deliver better bus services.
“This will avoid a cliff-edge at the end of this year and keep fares affordable across the country – improving access to opportunities, particularly in towns and rural areas, while offering value for the taxpayer.
“Our bus revolution will give every community the power to take back control of their services, end the postcode lottery of services and turn the page on four decades of failed deregulation.”
What an utter kier anchor is.. just the start of what is to come this week,watch the decrease he really is the most hated useless pm this country has ever had hope all you lot that voted this shower of crap in are happy with yourselves.
I think you’ll find Margaret Thatcher and Liz Truss were probably more hated and useless than Starmer.
Yep, agree, my sentiments exactly.
50% increase.I thought inflation was coming down.
What do you all expect from the man who let Saville and the BBC off the hook. So much for helping working people. Keir Stalin is a liar, arrogant in the extreme and power crazed. This country and the island is going to be much worse off than when the tories were in charge, hard for me to say that, but it’s true. He will go down in history as the most corrupt MP this country has ever had.
A return fare from Ventnor to Cowes will be £12, a rip off. Was it cheaper when you could buy a cross town ticket?
The original £2 cap for bus fares was brought about by pressure from the Labour Opposition to the then government, Conservatives. It was only due to run until March 2023. It was then extended until October 2023, again with pressure. At the time, The Conservative gov’t want to increase the cap to at least £2.50 back then as they knew it was unsustainable because of a £22bn black hole of funding across the finances . When they thought there was a chance they’d lose the election they decided not to scrap the scheme or increase the cap. They’d leave it to the incoming government to look bad instead. It’s still less than normal rates, still less than it would have been under Tories. The bit that grinds my gears though is than in our case here…the subsidy goes straight into the hands of a private company, thus shoring up their massive profits, as opposed to say, Manchester which is under public ownership and so the subsidy benefits everyone.