England’s £2 bus fare cap may not save rural routes, campaigners fear

Three-month subsidy widely welcomed but passengers may need longer-term incentives to use routes

A temporary £2 cap on fares that the government hopes will reinvigorate some of England’s bus services starts on Sunday – but campaigners are already warning of more route cuts when the funding runs out.

The three-month “get around for £2” campaign, announced last month, will reduce single fares by more than 80% on some journeys, such as Plymouth to Exeter in the south-west, or Leeds to Scarborough.