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

Buses in Sheffield. A quarter of routes in England have already been lost in a decade, campaigners say. Photograph: Nigel Greenstreet/Alamy

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.