Lib Dems highlight £2 bus offer doesn't help many in Surrey

Up until 31 March 2023 residents in some areas of Surrey will benefit from the Government's bus fare cap scheme, which means that a single bus journey will cost no more than £2.

The primary aim of the scheme is to reduce travel costs at a time when the cost of living crisis is really starting to bite. But it is also hoped that lower fares might tempt some residents to leave their cars at home and try public transport to travel around locally. Bus operators are still struggling to return to pre-pandemic passenger numbers and this move could potentially help grow their patronage and also reduce vehicle carbon emissions across the area. In Surrey however just ten out of around 30 different companies operating bus routes in the county have decided to participate.

Angela Goodwin who represents Guildford South-West and is pictured here in the driver's seat of an electric Stagecoach bus at a recent Surrey County Council transport event, commented:

"On the face of it this is a good scheme. Stagecoach, which operates many routes across Guildford borough,has joined the scheme so many of my residents will benefit. But it is disappointing that in Surrey just ten of around 30 different companies operating bus routes in the county have decided to participate. This means that passengers on some routes in places such as Chobham, Woking, Shepperton, Chertsey, Caterham, Redhill will not benefit from the lower fares and nor will they be actively encouraged to try local services through the £2 flat rate offer. Surrey County Council has been holding a public consultation on the future of bus travel ('Future Bus Network Review closes 06 January) but it is a 'chicken and egg' situation in that residents will only use buses if they are reliable and affordable, but until passenger numbers go up to make routes viable, the bus operators are unlikely to invest in improvements."