Bus passengers across Redditch and the Villages could lose vital services if a 50% fare hike goes ahead, their former MP Rachel has warned.
Under plans announced by the Labour Government, the current bus fare pricing cap of £2 will rise to £3 when it ends on December 31.
And the increase is likely to be felt sharply by the most vulnerable in society and have a negative impact on both young and old passengers.
Labour’s lack of support for local bus services is in stark contrast to the millions of pounds they received from the previous Conservative government.
Under Rachel’s watch, Worcestershire County Council benefitted from a total of £6,292,372 funding from the previous Conservative government to support bus services since 2022.
The funding from the previous Conservative government helped the County Council to deliver their Bus Service Improvement Plan and establish a new Enhanced Partnership with bus operators.
During her time as the MP for Redditch and the Villages, Rachel worked hard to improve bus services. She chaired the first cross-party Redditch Bus Travel Task Force meeting. The Task Force brought together representatives from Worcestershire County Council, Diamond Bus and Age UK, as well as Borough and County Councillors from all political parties.
But Rachel is now warning that Labour’s fare cap increase could see drop in passenger numbers an ultimately a reduction in services.
She wants Transport Secretary Louise Haigh to abandon the plan to raise fares to protect bus users across Redditch and the Villages.
Rachel said:
“Labour might argue the fare increase is just a pound, but the cumulative effect here and across the country could be a disaster.
“As fares go up, it is likely passenger numbers will go down and ultimately bus companies may be faced with stopping vital routes and ending essential services.
“The impact of the increases will be felt right across the board from young people using buses to access education, to workers and older people who have the bus as their only source of transport to go to appointments, go shopping or visit family and friends.
“The cost to people could work out to be hundreds of pounds a year to regular users, let alone the environmental impact of discouraging sustainable travel as people turn back to cars.
“But there is still time for the Transport Secretary to change this decision and I urge her to do so.”
