Go-Ahead’s bus companies have sold a £2 bus ticket to 60 million people in England since the country’s nationwide bus fare cap was introduced by the Government at the beginning of 2023.
The Department for Transport’s “Get Around for £2” scheme has made bus travel cheaper on all of Go-Ahead’s eight regional bus companies from Cornwall to Northumberland.
Brighton & Hove Buses and Metrobus is the biggest seller of discount tickets in Go-Ahead’s network, which has carried more than 15 million passengers at £2.
All of Go-Ahead’s regional bus companies outside London and Manchester are participating in the scheme.
Journeys showing big increases in passenger numbers include Metrobus routes 270-273 – between Crawley and East Grinstead to Brighton – which saw a 30% increase in passenger numbers.
Also, Carousel Buses route 102 – High Wycombe to Heathrow Airport – witnessed a 40% rise in customers, while there was a 43% increase in passengers for East Yorkshire Buses’ X46 service between Hull and York.
Meanwhile, the Salisbury Reds X3 service between Salisbury and Bournemouth recorded a 25% jump in passengers.
Martin Dean, Go-Ahead’s Managing Director, Regional Bus, said: “In just over a year, we’ve sold a £2 bus ticket for every man, woman and child in England. That’s great news – it shows that the bus fare cap has encouraged our regular customers to get out and about more frequently, and it’s attracted new passengers onto our buses.
“Longer bus services between towns and villages are proving particularly popular at £2.”
