Passengers across England outside London will pay no more than £2 for a single bus journey throughout 2027, after Prime Minister Andy Burnham confirmed the start date of the fare cap. The measure will replace the current £3 national bus fare cap, with the government saying it aims to reduce everyday travel costs for millions of people using participating bus services across the country.
New Fare Limit to Begin in January 2027
The new cap will come into effect on 1 January 2027 and remain in place until 31 December 2027, according to the announcement made by Andy Burnham during his keynote speech at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.
Under the scheme, passengers travelling on participating services outside London will pay a maximum of £2 for a single journey. The current £3 limit will continue until the end of 2026 before the lower fare replaces it.
The government has allocated more than £454 million to support the policy, according to officials. The funding is intended to help bus operators maintain affordable fares while continuing to provide services across different parts of England.
The change follows the introduction of a similar approach in Greater Manchester, where Burnham previously supported a £2 single-fare limit through the Bee Network. The national scheme will apply beyond the city region, covering eligible services in towns, cities, rural communities and coastal areas.
The government said the measure is designed to support people making regular journeys, including travel to work, education, healthcare and leisure activities. Ministers have also highlighted the potential impact for passengers in areas where individual bus fares can otherwise be higher.
Fare Changes Linked to Wider Bus Travel Measures
The £2 cap forms part of a wider set of changes affecting bus passengers in England. From April 2027, eligible disabled passengers will be able to use their free bus passes at any time of day after weekday restrictions are removed.
According to the government, the changes are intended to improve access to public transport and make bus travel more predictable for passengers who rely on local services.
The announcement has been presented as a continuation of efforts to support affordable bus travel following the temporary national fare cap introduced in recent years. That existing arrangement has helped limit increases in some areas, with the new policy setting a lower maximum fare for the 2027 period.
For passengers, the practical change is straightforward: on participating routes outside London, a single bus journey will cost no more than £2 during the year. The policy does not apply to services outside the government-backed scheme or to London’s separate transport network.
Transport policies in England often involve cooperation between central government, local authorities and private bus operators, meaning implementation can vary depending on the services involved. Details of participating routes and operational arrangements will be provided as the start date approaches.
The government says the fare cap is part of a broader approach to keeping local bus travel affordable while supporting improvements to services across England. The announcement gives passengers a clear timetable for the introduction of the lower fare limit, with the change set to begin at the start of 2027.
