A fairer bus fare is just the start, writes Andy Burnham
A fair bus fare. That’s the commitment this government has made to millions of passengers today.
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From January, we’re capping the cost at £2 to get on any bus, at anytime, anywhere in England outside the capital. Everyone can jump on and get where they need to be for less.
We know that people are working harder than ever just to stand still but Westminster hasn’t been doing enough to help. Before I entered 10 Downing Street on Monday, I promised that this government would do something to give people some breathing space now. And we are.
Yesterday, we scrapped VAT on electricity bills. Today, we’re cutting the cost of getting around on the most used form of public transport.
We can afford to do these things because we’re making different choices. We’re putting money where it will make a real difference to people’s lives – back in their pockets.
We don’t have to accept that every bill simply keeps going up and up, slowly squeezing the joy out of life. We want people to spend their money on the things that matter most: seeing friends, saving for a holiday, enjoying a day out with the family. Not just getting from A to B.
I’ve spoken about the wrong turns Britain has taken over the last forty years. What we did with our buses is a sorry example. When services were sold off and communities lost a say, fares went up and passenger numbers fell.
In Greater Manchester, we showed that it didn’t have to be this way. We brought buses back under public control, capped fares at £2 and kept them there for four straight years. Under this government, we’re doing the same for the rest of England.
The measures we’ve announced this week will help but I know they won’t solve every problem. We need to do more. And we will. Later this year, we’ll lay out a ten-year plan to bring down the cost of living, help young people into work and build more council homes.
A fairer bus fare is just the start. A fairer Britain is where we all want to be. Let’s bring back hope.
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Andy Burnham is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Member of Parliament for Makerfield.
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