New £2 Bus Fare Cap Proposed for England by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham

Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester and Labour candidate for the Makerfield byelection, has proposed introducing a £2 bus fare cap across England if he becomes Prime Minister, succeeding Sir Keir Starmer. This follows the successful implementation of a similar fare cap in Greater Manchester since 2022.

Burnham believes that low-cost or free public transport is a powerful tool to boost employment and strengthen communities. Under his leadership, Greater Manchester introduced the £2 single bus fare cap in 2022. He also expanded benefits like removing the 9:30 am restriction on bus passes for older and disabled people and offering free transport for 16-to-18-year-olds.

During a recent Reddit “ask me anything” session, Burnham expressed his commitment to maintaining affordable public transport fares. “In an ideal world, I would like to cut the cost of public transport as low as possible,” he said. “I will try to keep the £2 capped bus fare for as long as I possibly can.”

Labour previously set a £2 fare cap across England, which was raised to £3 after the last general election. Burnham’s vision is to return to the more affordable £2 level nationwide, supporting broader access to vital services.

Beyond transport, Burnham advocates for greater public control over essential services. He argues in favor of public ownership for utilities like Thames Water, criticizing private companies for prioritizing profits over customers. Highlighting recent steep bill increases in the Makerfield area, Burnham warned against excessive profiteering and proposed banning bill rises by canceling dividends of companies that exceed certain price thresholds.

Burnham’s approach focuses on protecting consumers and ensuring that public services operate in the public interest rather than just for shareholder gain. He aims to fund these reforms by reforming industry management practices and curbing unjustified profits.