Bus fares could still rise across the Liverpool City Region in the next year.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves revealed in her first Budget on Wednesday that the cap on public transport which was set to end in December would be increased to £3.
The cap had been introduced by the Conservative government in January 2023 in attempts to help people across the country with the ongoing costing of living crisis.
A £2 cap was introduced in the Liverpool City Region earlier with reduced fares online two years ago in efforts to ‘put money back into the pockets’ of residents.
But Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has refused to discount the possibility that those fares could still rise in line with the new rate set to be implemented by Labour.
In a statement reacting to the Budget, he said: “Buses are central to a well-functioning public transport system – that’s why I’ve taken back control of the Liverpool City Region’s.
“For decades, we’ve seen private operators run down services while driving up profits, and it’s our communities that have paid the price.
“Reliable, affordable services are vital, and the fare cap has helped to build confidence in the bus network after COVID.
“But this was yet another unfunded Tory spending commitment with nothing left to pay for it beyond December.
“The Labour government has at least ensured a maximum cap stays in place, and the additional billion pounds for buses is welcome.
“I’ll be fighting to make sure the Liverpool City Region gets our fair share of that funding and am already examining what measures we can take locally to keep fares as affordable as possible.”