Andy Burnham to cap Manchester bus fares at £2

The new fares are part of a wider move towards ‘London-style public transport’


Andy Burnham has announced that all single journeys on Manchester buses will soon cost a maximum of £2 for an adult and £1 for a child. 

The news comes following a court ruling in the Mayor’s favour which will allow buses in Manchester to be taken under public control. 

Buses in the region will form part of an integrated transport network operated by Transport for Greater Manchester instead of being run by the at least 30 separate bus operators that currently compete in the region with hundreds of differing fares. 

The simplified and cheaper system has been likened to London’s transport system with the Mayor calling for a “London-style public transport system with London-level bus fares”. 

The move to £2 fares was announced at an event at popular student venue, Escape to Freight Island. 

Andy Burnham said: “We will make travelling by public transport more appealing, easier and, significantly, put our people before profits.” 

The introduction of the system will be rolled out from next Autumn and is expected to be rolled out across the whole of Greater Manchester by the end of 2024. 

The single capped fare means passengers would be able to make a single trip and pay no more than £2 regardless of how many times they change buses on the journey as long as it’s within an hour. Currently, a single fare can cost as much as £4 and can cost far more if you’re required to switch between different bus operators along the way. 

Feature image overlay via Unsplash

Related stories recommended by this writer:

‘I’ve received calls from friends crying’: Ukrainian students share the reality of the war

These 22 Andy Burnham memes will leave you in tiers, whether you like it or not

Andy Burnham re-elected Mayor as Labour wins across Manchester