From Monday 1 April, all young people under the age of 22 will be able to get on any Warrington bus for £1 each way. This enhances the current offer of £1 capped fares for under 19s and means many more people will be able to benefit from £1 journeys.
April will also see the introduction of free bus travel for all care leavers in the borough, who will come into Warrington’s Concessionary Fare scheme.
It’s all part of the council’s plans to help make bus travel more accessible and affordable for young people in Warrington, so they see it as an attractive, viable travel option. The council and all bus operators in Warrington have formed an Enhanced Partnership and these improvements have received unanimous support from all members of the partnership.
The latest enhancements support the ongoing work through the ‘Better by Bus’ campaign to deliver modern, efficient, and environmentally friendly bus travel, with cheaper fares, improved routes and more frequent services.
Warrington Borough Council Leader and Cabinet Member for transport, Cllr Hans Mundry, said: “Our Better by Bus programme continues to go from strength to strength, and I’m delighted we’ve been able to extend our fare cap to under 22s. It’s also great news that, for the first time, all care leavers will be eligible for free bus travel, through our concessionary scheme.
“If we want to build a better future for bus travel and increase the number of passengers, it’s vital that our younger generation are on-board. By making bus travel more affordable for students and young workers alike, we can help ease some financial burden, while introducing sustainable travel habits, which will hopefully stay with them into the future.
“With our new fleet of all-electric buses on the way in the coming months, we know how crucial it is to continue building confidence in our bus service as a reliable, accessible, and affordable transport option. These latest enhancements are part of that work and will hopefully encourage many more young people to get on the bus.”
The £1 fare cap for under 22’s and free bus travel for care leavers form the latest part of a growing list of enhancements being made to bus services in Warrington, under the ‘Better by Bus’ banner. These include:
• Single fares capped at £2 for adults and £1 for children on any bus across the network.
• Concessionary bus pass holders able to use their bus passes at any time of the day.
• Enhanced timetables and new routes.
• Improved bus shelters across the whole bus network
Ben Wakerley, Managing Director of Warrington’s Own Buses, said: "We are making fares cheaper for even more people in our town, which is great news. It’s the latest in a number of initiatives we are introducing to transform bus travel in Warrington".
Richard Hoare, director at Arriva North West said “Arriva looks forward to continue partnering with Warrington Borough Council as we work together to increase the attractiveness of bus travel. We are fully supportive of the introduction of £1 single in-Borough fares to all passengers aged under 22 across the Borough.”
To find out more about the Better By Bus scheme, visit warrington.gov.uk/better-by-bus
Notes to editors
Warrington’s ‘Better by Bus’ campaign forms part of the council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), which is using £16m in government funding to transform bus services in Warrington, by improving timetables, reducing fares for all users, and delivering high quality, accessible new buses.