Bus fares charged by the Harrogate Bus Company and Connexions Buses will be capped at £2 for three months starting from today.
The two companies are among more than 130 transport firms taking part in the government-funded Help for Household scheme.
The scheme, supported by £60m of taxpayer money, will cap single bus fares on more than 4,600 routes.
Ministers hope the initiative will reinvigorate bus services amid fears many routes will be cut when funding runs out.
For buses run by Transdev, the French-owned parent company of the Harrogate Bus Company, it means a 29-mile journey from Ripon to Leeds on the 36 bus will be reduced by 73 per cent from £7.50 to £2, while the cost of a ticket from Harrogate to Bradford on the Flyer A2 will be reduced by 63 per cent from £5.40 to £2.
The maximum single fare for any Transdev one-way bus journey has been cut to just £2 – including the 84-mile journey from Leeds to Whitby.
The £2 single fare is available anytime, anywhere and on any day from bus drivers using cash or contactless payment.
All Transdev single fares which are already lower than £2, and all other day and longer-term tickets will remain at their current prices.
Read more:
- Harrogate district single bus fares to be capped at £2
- Harrogate electric buses to be free on Sundays
Transdev chief executive Alex Hornby said:
“We are delighted to be able to offer this amazing promotion to our customers throughout Yorkshire and into Lancashire and Greater Manchester, thanks to our continued partnership with industry partners and UK government.
Buses Minister Richard Holden MP said:
“Brits love buses. They’re the most popular form of public transport in England, making up half of all journeys. So, we’re investing £60 million to cap single bus fares at £2 to help families, students and commuters and help get people back on the bus.”
Harrogate electric buses to be free on Sundays
Free Sunday bus journeys are to return to Harrogate in January and February.
The Sunday Freeway, which is a partnership between Harrogate Business Improvement District and the Harrogate Bus Company.will enable passengers to travel for free into the town centre on the company’s electric buses.
The Sunday Freeway buses are routes 2A, 2B, 3 and 6, which link Bilton, Dene Park, The Knox, Jennyfield and Pannal Ash with the town centre.
Sara Ferguson, Harrogate BID chair, said:
“Harrogate is a brilliant town, with an impressive array of bars, restaurants and shops – and we hope many people will take advantage the Sunday Freeway initiative to make the most of what the town has to offer.
“This scheme also benefits the environment, encouraging those travelling to Harrogate to leave their cars at home in favour of hopping on an electric bus.”
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Harrogate Bus Company chief executive Alex Hornby said:
“As well as reducing emissions and congestion, free Sunday travel on our Harrogate Electrics buses will make it easier to support our local economy and help keep our town thriving into 2023.
“Along with our maximum £2 single fare which will be in place for the first three months of the New Year, the return of Sunday Freeway free buses in January and February will also help to keep travel costs down during the cost of living crisis.”
Timetables for the free Sunday buses and all of the Harrogate Bus Company’s services are available online here or from the travel kiosk at Harrogate Bus Station or via the Transdev Go mobile app.