Fare cap secures future of bus scheme, says mayor
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined AuthorityA mayor said the £2 national bus fare cap announced by the prime minister would help secure the future of a bus pass scheme across the county.
The Tiger Pass was introduced in 2024 and allows people under the age of 25 who live in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to travel for £1 per journey.
Paul Bristow, the Conservative mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, said the administration pays for the difference between the £3 national bus fare cap and the Tiger Pass fare.
"This lower national cap will help us to secure the future of the Tiger Pass for young people across our region," Bristow said.
The combined authority said more than 60,000 Tiger Passes have been issued since the scheme's introduction by former Labour mayor Nik Johnson.
Funding arrangements are in place for the Tiger Pass until March 2027.
Bristow said Andy Burnham's announcement was "welcome" and "good for driving up passenger numbers".
He added the government should now offer "longer-term clarity on fares, so we can plan our own local support for our buses with confidence".
Last month Bristow said he hoped Andy Burnham would retain a national bus fare cap.
In a BBC interview last month Bristow said: "As long as the government keeps the bus fare cap we will keep the Tiger Pass."
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