UK Transport Secretary Grant Shaps has proposed a plan to cap the fare on all buses outside of London at £2.
Shaps said he believes cutting transportation costs for low-income people is a direct way to address the cost of living crisis.
“The most vulnerable people in our society need tangible help in the coming year and need the means to make a direct and visible difference to their daily spending,” Shaps wrote. Telegraph August 14th.
Shaps was the Conservative leader candidate. He withdrew early after not gaining enough support in favor of Rishi Snack. He is likely to become the next prime minister.
Shaps said low-income people need to spend money to get jobs and the government needs to find ways to ease this burden.
“Buses are for all of us and are the most popular form of public transport. With about 4 billion trips per year pre-pandemic, bus travel has overtaken rail travel,” he said. Shapps said.
“Buses are the most democratic mode of transport, but they are disproportionately used by low-income people living in rural areas who find driving impossible or too burdensome. increase.
“For many families, bus fares are a core part of the household budget and an expense that needs to be factored into their weekly overheads,” Shapps added.
Shaps has put forward his exact proposal, which he has been working on since earlier this year, according to The Telegraph.
“I therefore propose to set a £2 cap on bus fares in England outside London for a 12-month period this autumn,” he wrote.
“This will inject some certainty into the unpredictable economic climate, a spending cap that, unlike the energy bill, cannot be breached. It’s a means.”
Shaps believes the scheme will be affordable.
“Too expensive? Well, the one-year cap would cost taxpayers around £260m, far below what is proposed to cushion future energy price hikes.” Shapps writes.
Low-fare or free public transport is an inter-party and international trend that has gained momentum in recent years. The trend is being promoted as a way to gain support from environmental concerns, crowds and voters.
Labor mayors, including Greater Manchester’s Andy Burnham, Liverpool’s Steve Rotherham and West Yorkshire’s Tracy Brabin, have devised plans similar to those proposed by Shaps.
In Germany, the Lower House introduced by the Bundestag big price cut A monthly transit pass allows area passengers to travel at a discount during the summer months. Tallinn, Estonia introduced free public transport in January 2013 and expanded it to most parts of the country in 2019.
Dunkirk, France has free public transport since 2018. Meanwhile, Luxembourg became the first European country to introduce free public transport nationwide in March 2020. Marta followed him in 2021.
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