government-backed low fares attracting record numbers to ditch the car and switch to the bus for work and leisure

North of England bus firm Transdev today confirms the Government-supported £2-a-trip ‘Price Drop’ fare cap is to continue throughout its network until further notice.

The Government has confirmed plans to extend its support to bus operators, which means that a single journey on all Transdev buses will remain at just £2, slashing 87 per cent off the fare for a one-way trip on its Coastliner network between Leeds and the North Yorkshire Coast.

Customers making longer distance journeys across Transdev’s North of England network can look forward to making the biggest savings this summer and beyond with the £2 ‘Price Drop’ fare cap, including these popular one-way trips:

• £13 off Leeds to Scarborough by Coastliner, saving 87 per cent
• £5.80 off Burnley to Manchester by Witchway, saving 74.4 per cent.
• £5.80 off Burnley to Keighley on Mainline M4, saving 74.4 per cent
• £5.70 off Preston to Burnley by Hotline, saving 74 per cent
• £5.50 off Ripon to Leeds on The 36, saving 73 per cent
• £4.80 off Accrington to Manchester by Red Express, saving 70.5 per cent

The £2 ‘Mayor’s Fares’ cap already in place on routes within West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester will also continue.

Transdev Commercial Director Paul Turner said: “We are delighted to continue our participation in this extended fare cap, not least because we have seen record-breaking numbers of customers choosing to travel with us already, with every likelihood that this will continue.

“On some of our most popular routes, including our Yorkshire flagship The 36 between Ripon, Harrogate and Leeds, we’ve seen double-digit percentage growth in customer numbers – with especially strong gains on our longer interurban routes like Coastliner and Witchway, where the savings are most significant.

“Further funding to support our networks is also now confirmed, and this will help sustain our quieter routes. This gives us longer term visibility for our operations, and will further help our customers by keeping the cost of travel low, so they can make our buses their first choice for work and leisure travel.

“Our Transdev Treats vouchers are exclusively available free to our customers and give even more opportunities to save money on admission and refreshments at popular venues. We’re constantly looking to extend this scheme as a unique additional benefit to further cut the cost of family days out by bus and support our region’s visitor economy.

“We currently work with many attractions including Harewood House near Leeds and Towneley Hall in Burnley – both offer half price entry for those who travel by bus with us. There are many more including castles and museums, cafes and tea rooms, plus discounts on open-top bus tours in York and Manchester, all with a Transdev Treats voucher.”

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “Taking the bus is the most popular form of public transport, and millions of people rely on these vital services every day.

“That’s why we are investing half a billion pounds to help people save money amid cost of living pressures and continue to level up transport in all parts of the country, doing our bit to help halve inflation and grow the economy.”