BUS PASSENGERS in Bucks can continue to travel for £2 after a bus fare discount scheme was extended. 

Carousel Buses revealed it will continue to offer cheaper bus tickets until the summer.

The move comes after the UK government announced it would extend the ‘Help for Households’ scheme to give a boost bus passengers and operators, which was due to expire at the end of March.

Now any single journey on Carousel Buses will cost £2 until June 30 2023.

Carousel Buses managing director Luke Marion said: “The extension of the £2 fare capping scheme is excellent news for passengers and the bus industry. Not only is it helping passengers continue to get out and about, it is also helping operators maintain services. We have experienced an increase in patronage via the scheme and I hope the offer continues to encourage more people to give bus travel a try.

“The financial support has had a positive short-term impact and I would encourage the government to introduce long-term funding reform to help the bus industry plan with greater clarity and confidence and to maintain and develop good quality, reliable bus services.”

The scheme helped Carousel Buses to launch its new route 41 from High Wycombe to Great Missenden, the village famous for its links to Roald Dahl.

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The Confederation of Passenger Transport welcomed the extension of the Bus Recovery Grant for further three months to help protect passenger services.

The group’s chief executive Graham Vidler said: “It is now critical all parties use this three-month extension to move away from short-term funding fixes, and instead build a sustainable settlement to unlock the economic, net zero and social wellbeing potential of buses.

“The Government’s continuation of the £2 fare cap is also a good move to help make buses more attractive during a cost-of-living crisis and we will work with our members to understand how they can maintain this initiative.”

Although travel by bus remains the most popular option for commuters and families, the sector is “still trying to recover after the end of the pandemic,” the government’s Transport Secretary Mark Harper said.

“We’re providing £155 million to help passengers save money on fares, get more people on the bus and protect vital bus routes – helping with the cost of living and enabling people to get where they need to in an affordable and convenient way,” he continued.