Single bus fares for millions in England will be capped at £2 from January 1 to March 31.
More than 120 operators including Stagecoach and National Express will take part in the scheme, the government confirmed today.
‘Get Around for £2’ was first announced by ex-Transport Secretary Grant Shapps in September.
He wanted the cap to last 12 months - but his plan was left in the depot as Rishi Sunak makes cutbacks.
Instead it will last only three months, funded by a £60million government subsidy.
Fares are set to go back up on March 31 unless bus firms can find the cash themselves.
Wider Covid recovery funding is also due to run out in March - raising questions over hundreds of stricken routes.
The Labour Mayor of West Yorkshire - where fares have been £2 since September - branded the scheme “half-baked”.
Tracy Brabin said: “While our scheme will cap fares for three years, the Government’s scheme will only do so for three months.
“It won’t cover every bus operator, and without certainty on extending the Bus Recovery Grant we could still see operators cutting services or going to the wall in April.
“This is yet another half-baked measure from Government which simply doesn’t go far enough to tackle the real issues.”
The scheme does not apply to London, where fares are £1.65, or Greater Manchester, Liverpool and West Yorkshire which already have fare caps.
Government officials insist the regional caps are ultimately funded through Bus Service Improvement Plans with government cash.
The Department for Transport said the cap will cut the average single fare by 80p - though in some rural areas it will save more than £3 off a £5 single.
Campaign for Better Transport spokesman Norman Baker said: “Capping bus fares will help struggling households, cut traffic congestion and carbon emissions, and inject new life into dwindling bus services.
“It's such a win-win that it shouldn't be restricted to three months, but should be extended indefinitely, for the sake of our pockets, our economy and our environment."
The government insisted it will continue to fund the sector through regular funding, including £200m a year through the Bus Service Operator’s Grant.
Buses minister Richard Holden said the £2 cap would “help families, students and commuters”.
He added: “The scheme will also take two million car journeys off the road and it's fantastic to see so many bus operators signing up.
"So, if you're in Carlisle or Weston-super-Mare, Birmingham or Doncaster, make sure you hop on the bus and get around for £2.”
National Express chief executive Tom Stables said: “Even better, we're also freezing child fares at £1.”
Full list of bus firms offering £2 fares for three months
- 1st Bus Stop Limited (South East)
- AVMT Buses Ltd (South West)
- Arriva Merseyside Ltd (North West)
- Arriva Midlands Ltd - Fox (East Midlands)
- Arriva Midlands North Ltd (West Midlands)
- B P BROWN TRAVEL LTD T/A SELECT BUS SERVICES (West Midlands)
- BUSWAYS TRAVEL SERVICES LIMITED, t/a STAGECOACH NORTH EAST (North East)
- Banga Buses (West Midlands)
- Bishop’s Stortford Community Transport CIO (East of England)
- Blackpool Transport Services Ltd (North West)
- Blueworks Taxis ltd (North West)
- Boomerang Travel Limited t/as Pilkingtonbus (North West)
- BorderBus Ltd (East of England)
- Brighton & Hove Buses (South East)
- Brylaine Travel Ltd (East Midlands)
- Burnley and Pendle Travel Ltd (North West, Yorkshire & Humber)
- Centrebus Ltd (East of England)
- Centrebus North Ltd (East of England)
- D&G Bus (Chaserider) (West Midlands)
- CLEVELAND TRANSIT LIMITED, t/a STAGECOACH NORTH EAST (North East)
- Cambus Limited T/A Stagecoach East (East of England)
- Carousel Buses (South East)
- Chalkwell Coach Hire Limited (South East)
- Cheltenham and Gloucester Omnibus Company Ltd (South West)
- Coach Services Ltd (East of England)
- Cogenhoe & Whiston Parish Council (East Midlands)
- Compass Travel (Sussex) Ltd (South East)
- Cuckmere Community Bus Ltd (South East)
- Cumbria Classic Coaches Limited (North East, North West)
- D&G BUS (North West, West Midlands)
- DRM (Bromyard) Ltd t/a DRMBUS (West Midlands)
- Dartline Coaches (South West)
- FIRST SOUTH WEST LIMITED (South West)
- FIRST SOUTH WEST LIMITED (South West)
- Faresaver Buses (South West)
- First Beeline Buses Ltd t/a First Berkshire (South East)
- First Eastern Counties Buses Ltd (East of England)
- First Essex Buses Ltd (East of England)
- First Hampshire & Dorset Ltd t/a First Dorset (South West)
- First Hampshire & Dorset Ltd t/a First Provincial (South East)
- First Hampshire & Dorset Ltd t/a First Southampton (South East)
- First Potteries Limited (West Midlands)
- First South Yorkshire Ltd (North East)
- First West of England (South West)
- First Wyvern (West Midlands)
- First York Limited (Yorkshire and Humber)
- G E SCRAGG & SONS LTD (West Midlands)
- Galleon Travel 2009 Ltd (East of England)
- Go North East (North East)
- Go North West Limited (North East)
- Greater Manchester Buses South Ltd T/A Stagecoach Manchester (North West)
- HIGH PEAK BUSES (BOWERS COACHES LTD) (North West)
- HULLEYS OF BASLOW (North East, North West)
- Harrogate & District Travel Ltd Ltd (Yorkshire and Humber)
- Harrogate Coach Travel Limited (Yorkshire and Humber)
- Harting Minibus CIC (South East)
- Hornsby Travel Services Ltd (Yorkshire and Humber)
- Ipswich Buses Limited (East of England)
- Keighley & District Travel Ltd (Yorkshire and Humber)
- Kinchbus (East Midland)
- Kirkby Lonsdale Coach Hire Ltd (North East, North West)
- Konectbus Limited – trading names Chambers, Hedingham and Konectbus (East of England)
- Lancashire United Ltd (North West)
- Leicester CityBus Limited (trading as First Leicester) (East Midlands)
- Lincolnshire Road Car Company Limited t/a Stagecoach East Midlands (Yorkshire and Humber, East Midlands)
- Marshalls of Sutton on Trent Ltd (East Midlands)
- Metrobus (South East)
- Minsterley Motors Ltd (West Midlands)
- NIBSbuses Ltd (East of England)
- Newton Abbot Community Transport Association (South West)
- Nottingham City Transport (East Midlands)
- Notts & Derby Traction Co Ltd (East Midlands)
- Oxford Bus Company (South East)
- Plymouth Citybus Limited (South West)
- RED EAGLE BUSES LTD (South East)
- Reliance Motor Services Limited (Yorkshire and Humber)
- Ribble Motor Services Limited (t/a Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire) (North West)
- Rossendale Transport Ltd (North West, Yorkshire & Humber)
- SANDERS COACHES LTD (East of England)
- Stagecoach (North West) Ltd (North East, North West)
- Stagecoach Midlands (West Midlands, East midlands, East of England)
- Stagecoach Midlands (East Midlands, East of England)
- Stagecoach South East (South East)
- RED & WHITE SERVICES LTD T/A STAGECOACH IN S WALES (West Midlands)
- Stagecoach South West (South West)
- Stagecoach South (South East)
- Stagecoach Yorkshire (Yorkshire and Humber, East Midlands)
- Stagecoach Yorkshire (Yorkshire and Humber, East Midlands)
- Stephensons Coaches (East of England)
- Summercourt Travel Ltd T/A Travel Cornwall (South West)
- THORNES INDEPENDENT LTD (North East)
- TM Travel (Yorkshire and Humber, East Midlands)
- Tally Ho! Coaches Limited (South West)
- Taxico / Aimee’s Travel (West Midlands)
- Thames Transit Ltd (South East, South West)
- Thames Travel (South East)
- Travel Assist Services Ltd (North West)
- Universitybus (East of England)
- Uno Buses Ltd (East of England)
- Walsall Community Transport (West Midlands)
- Warrington’s Own Buses (North West)
- Weardale Motor Service Limited (North East)
- West Midlands Travel Limited (West Midlands)
- Western Dales Community Bus Service Ltd (North West)
- Yorkshire Coastliner Ltd (Yorkshire and Humber)
- trentbarton - Trent Motor Traction (East Midland)
- trentbarton - Barton Buses (East Midlands)
- COASTLINER BUSES LTD (North West)
- CT4N Ltd (North East)
- East Yorkshire Motor Services Ltd (Yorkshire and Humber)
- G Abbott and Sons Limited (North East)
- Go South Coast Ltd (South East & South West)
- Hatch Green Garage Ltd (South West)
- Lugg Valley Travel Ltd (West Midlands)
- Metroline Travel Ltd (East of England)
- Newbury & District (South East)
- OurHire Limited (East of England)
- Preston Bus Limited (North West)
- Reading Buses (South East)
- Simonds of Botesdale Ltd (East of England)
- Southdown PSV Limited (South East)
- Thames Valley Buses (South East)
- Yeomans Canyon Travel Ltd (West Midlands)
- York Pullman Bus Company Ltd (North East)
