Jonathan Djanogly, MP for Huntingdon, has today welcomed the Department for Transport’s (DfT) decision to invest a further £155m to extend the Bus Recovery Grant and £2 Bus Fare Cap for a further three months, from April to 30 June.

This decision has been taken in-light of the on-going cost of living challenges faced by households across the country, and with an acknowledgement of the significant impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on bus services.

The #GetAroundForTwoPound scheme was initially launched on 1 January and shows early signs of increased bus use, with an independent survey of 1,000 people from the watchdog Transport Focus showing 7% of people saying they are using buses more.

Participation in the scheme from operators is voluntary and the DfT has stated that it will now work with operators to re-confirm their participation, helping to make bus travel more affordable to both new and existing customers.

Commenting on the extension, Jonathan said:

“The value of readily accessible and affordable bus services cannot be overestimated, and this is especially the case for more rural communities that tend to rely on them the most.

“This decision to extend the £2 bus fare cap until the end of June is one that I know will be warmly welcomed by local residents across Huntingdonshire, not least because of the on-going cost of living pressures many households are continuing to face.”