Greens react to £2 single bus fare cap announcement

In response to the single fare bus cap announced by Andy Burnham, a Green Party spokesperson said:

“We’ve now gone full circle – we are heading back to the £2 cap introduced by the Conservatives and raised to £3 under Keir Starmer.

“Temporary cuts to bus fares are welcome but we need a new direction of travel. We need to permanently offer free travel to al those under 22. And we need to see extensive investment in routes and an increase in services so that taking the bus is a realistic option for many more communities across England. Lower fares are no use if buses aren’t there in the first place.”

Green MP Ellie Chowns MP was also critical of the way the government is choosing to fund the fare cap, which involves changing International Climate Finance grants to loans for low-income countries. She said:

“Reducing bus fares is welcome, but it is morally wrong to do so by loading more debt onto some of the poorest countries that have contributed least to the climate crisis and are experiencing some of its most severe consequences.

“The UK should be demonstrating international leadership on climate justice and debt relief, not making the situation worse.

“Andy Burnham promised change but this is the wrong sort.

“Instead the Government should tax extreme wealth to help provide the resources needed to tackle poverty and invest in climate action, and make the biggest polluters pay for the crisis they have caused.”