Chichester and Arun Green Party welcomes the decision to cap single bus fares in England at £2 on local and regional journeys this January to March, but are disappointed that it is only a temporary measure and doesn’t go far enough.
Green Party Councillor, Sarah Sharp, who represents Chichester South on the county, district and city councils said:
“This fares cap policy should be matched by massive public investment to provide a genuine bus revolution which would mean everybody had access to an expanded bus network. It’s no good having cheap fares for buses that don’t exist. In the countryside it wouldn't be possible to run a full timetabled service like in an urban area. Community transport, demand-responsive bus systems or dial-a-ride services would be a key way to make bus services work for more people in our rural areas and would be a very sensible way to deliver more services to more people in a cost-effective and sustainable manner.”
Cllr Isabel Thurston (Green, Barnham) added: “I would like to see this go further. £2 for a single means £4 return, and that's still a lot of money for a regular journey. Green councillors would like to see the price of bus travel reduced further instead of huge budgets gobbled up by new roads. Congestion from new builds will bring gridlock unless more of us use public transport instead of driving where possible. We are backing WSCC's planned bus infrastructure improvements, to include new signage, more inclusive access and at least one new route in Arun district.”
Buses are vital to creating fairer, greener communities. Not everyone drives, and in rural areas buses can serve as a lifeline, especially to the elderly, the young and the disabled. Greens have called for the cap on fares to be permanent, not just for three months over the winter. They say diverting £27bn away from road building could pay for huge improvements to public transport services.
“Affordable bus services, along with other public transport and active travel, is the only way to tackle the interlinked crises of toxic air pollution, traffic congestion, the cost of living and a reliance on fossil fuels playing a central role in climate breakdown,” says Cllr Sharp.