Mayor eyes bus fare cap extension beyond March

A £2.50 cap on the cost of bus journeys across the North East looks set to be extended by at least three months.

- DANIEL HOLLAND Local democracy reporter

North East mayor Kim McGuinness and council leaders are due to sign off on proposals next week to keep the £2.50 limit for an adult's single bus ticket in place until the end of March 2026.

The national fare cap for adults jumped from £2 to £3 at the end of last year, a move that critics branded a “stealth tax” from the Labour government amid concerns about the affordability of public transport.

Ms McGuinness’ North East Combined Authority (NECA) subsequently stepped in with funding which allowed the North East’s cap to be set at 50p below the higher national rate, though leaders in Greater Manchester and Liverpool have gone further by maintaining the previous £2 cap.

And NECA’s cabinet will be asked next Tuesday to agree to extend that offer beyond its current December 31 deadline until March 31, 2026, at a cost of £8.7 million.