South Yorks introduce £2 cap for bus and tram fares

Bus and tram fares in South Yorkshire will be capped at £2 from 1 November.

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) said it had set aside £600,000 for the initiative. The fares cap would reduce the cost of more than 700,000 journeys which cost more than £2, it added.

South Yorkshire’s move comes ahead of a national £2 cap on bus journeys in January.

Oliver Coppard, South Yorkshire's Labour mayor, said the plans aimed to tackle the cost of living crisis. 

“I know just how many people in South Yorkshire are worrying about feeding their families, heating their homes and affording the very day-to-day basics as the cost of living continues to spiral,” he said.

"Public transport is part of the solution. That's why we're not just introducing the £2 [bus] fare cap early here in South Yorkshire, we're extending it to include trams."

A South Yorkshire Combined Authority spokesperson told LTT: “The £600,000 is an estimate based on ticket sales data we get from operators on a quarterly basis. We’ve also allowed for some growth in terms of more passengers but also some passengers switching from day tickets to two singles on the basis of this now being cheaper for them. 

“The average single for the region is around £2.20, though this of course includes fares under £2 also, and passengers will still be paying these under the fare cap.”