Bus service improvements totalling £8.5m, including a discounted fare scheme for 16-21-year-olds and £1 adult fares on Sunday, are set to be introduced in Lancashire.
On Thursday 9 May, the council’s cabinet approved the spending plan for £7.025m Bus Service Improvement Plan Phase 3 funding from the Department for Transport (DfT).
It comes after the Enhanced Partnership Executive Board, where the council works closely with bus operators to develop improvements to services which complement the delivery of our Bus Service Improvement Plan, approved the proposals in February.
The £1 Sunday Adult Single fare will be an expansion of the current £1 Evening Fare offer to cover all day Sunday. The new offer will replace the current ‘Buy Saturday, Get Sunday Free’ day ticket deal, also known as Weekender Ticket.
The £1 Sunday offer will launch on 26 May 2024.
It’s proposed to use £5.5m of the Bus Service Improvement Plan Phase 3 funding to fund a Young Person discounted fare scheme, which would see young people aged 16-21 offered a third off adult single, return and day fares purchased from the driver.
Those eligible and wishing to receive the discounted fare would need to apply for an AnyBus Young Person’s pass which will need to be presented when boarding the bus. This scheme is still under discussion with operators, but it is hoped to start the scheme later this year.
Further details about the new schemes and how people can take advantage of the reduced fares will be published soon.
In addition to the new schemes, the Funded by UK Government spending plan also outlines a further £1.32m is allocated on various bus service enhancements.
The spending plan also includes £995,000 saved from withdrawing the Weekender Ticket, alongside £500,000 of Bus Service Improvement Plan 2 funding allocated to Fares Initiatives, to supplement the £7.025m Phase 3 funding, bringing the total to £8.520m.
The schemes outlined in the spending plan build on the many improvements that have already been implemented in Lancashire through the Bus Service Improvement Plan. In January 2023, our bus services began offering £1 for single journeys after 7pm, 7 days a week. Since the scheme was launched, 1.8m fares have been sold.
County Councillor Rupert Swarbrick, cabinet member for Highways and Transport, said: “Lancashire residents are already taking advantage of some of the improvements we’ve put in place as part of our Bus Service Improvement Plan, including a reduced fares offer on many evening and weekend services and a flat £1 fare for all journeys after 7pm.
“These latest proposals build on these improvements, with a significant investment proposed to provide cheaper fares for young adults and the introduction of a flat £1 adult single fare for Sundays.
“This is on top of further enhancements to bus services, which ultimately aim to make buses more frequent, more reliable and easier to use.”
To read more about the improvements we’re making to bus services in Lancashire, visit: Bus service improvement plan – Lancashire County Council
