IN his first visit since becoming Prime Minister, this morning Andy Burnham joined the West of England's Mayor at the First Bus depot in Bath.

Welcoming the £2 bus fare cap announced today, Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said:"It was brilliant to welcome our new Prime Minister to Bath so early in his premiership, and to show off some of our new green buses.

“It was even better to hear that the £2 bus fare cap will be reintroduced for adult journeys!

"This is really welcome news for passengers across the West Country, building on money-saving initiatives like Kids Go Free - which is rolling out nationally this August following our successful regional pilot over the last year.”

Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced the cap on single bus tickets at £2 earlier today, to take effect from January 2027.

He said: “Good, affordable transport links are an essential. No one should be priced out of those and left behind.

“But for too long people have said that cheaper transport isn’t an option. I don’t accept that. I’ve done it before and I will do it again now: a £2 cap on bus fares for millions across the country.

“Lower fares will help people get to where they need to – giving them breathing space to help with the cost of living.

"As I said on my first day in office – I will build a country for everyone, everywhere. That means more connected communities, better access to opportunities, and a lighter load on people’s lives.”