Council                                                           Agenda Item 65

Subject:                      Keep the £2 Bus Fare Cap

Date of meeting:       19 December 2024

Proposer:                   Councillor Muten

Seconder:                  Councillor Nann

Notice of Motion

Labour Group Amendment

This council notes:

1) The significant benefit that the £2 bus fare cap has provided to residents, making public transport more accessible and affordable for many, especially those on lower incomes;

2) Accessible and affordable public transport is vital to achieving the city’s carbon neutrality goals by 2030 and encouraging sustainable travel behaviours;

3) The removal of the cap local bus operators choosing to increase fairs above £2 is likely to disproportionately impact residents from poorer backgrounds, exacerbating social inequalities;

4) That the removal of local bus operators choosing profit over a the £2 bus cap is likely to reduce the total of number of people travelling by bus, having an impact on the income of local bus companies;

5) Ultimately the responsibility of funding the £2 The principle of a bus cap in the long-term should lie with has been continued by the national government.

Therefore, resolves to:

1) Request that a report is brought to a future Cabinet meeting which:

a. outlines the estimated cost of maintaining the £2 bus fare cap locally;

b. explores potential funding streams which could be utilised to support the subsidy, including the Carbon Neutral Fund and the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP).

2) Request that Commend the Cabinet Member for Transport, Parking and Public Realm for having proactively meet met with local bus companies to discuss how we could work together to keep the £2 bus fare cap, at the lowest possible cost to the Council;

3) Request that the Leader of the Council writes to the government, expressing our disappointment at the removal of the £2 bus fare cap, and asking them to reverse their decision.

4) Give encouragement to the Leader of the Council to engage in devolution discussions with the government which could gift new powers for our region to take buses back under public control as Mayor Andy Burnham and Mayor Steve Rotherham have successfully done.

Recommendations to read if carried:

This council notes:

1) The significant benefit that the £2 bus fare cap has provided to residents, making public transport more accessible and affordable for many, especially those on lower incomes;

2) Accessible and affordable public transport is vital to achieving the city’s carbon neutrality goals by 2030 and encouraging sustainable travel behaviours;

3) The local bus operators choosing to increase fairs above £2 is likely to disproportionately impact residents from poorer backgrounds, exacerbating social inequalities;

4) That the local bus operators choosing profit over a the £2 bus cap is likely to reduce the total of number of people travelling by bus.

5) The principle cap in the long-term has been continued by the national government.

Therefore, resolves to:

1) Commend the Cabinet Member for Transport, Parking and Public Realm for having proactively met with local bus companies to discuss how we could work together to keep the bus fare cap, at the lowest possible cost to the Council;

2) Give encouragement to the Leader of the Council to engage in devolution discussions with the government which could gift new powers for our region to take buses back under public control as Mayor Andy Burnham and Mayor Steve Rotherham have successfully done.