Council officials don’t know the price of a bus fare
7 May 2024

A question that the media sometimes pose to a politician to see if they know what it is like for the average man in the street is to ask “How much is a pint of milk?” and politicians often struggle to answer the question.

For a council that proclaims environmental credentials like Cornwall Council does and that claims to promote public transport such as bus travel rather than private car use, it might be reasonable to ask the council “How much does it cost to catch a bus?” Unfortunately, the person who wrote the council’s annual report for 2023-24, to be presented to this week’s Cabinet meeting, doesn’t know what the answer is.

The annual report section on "A thriving, sustainable Cornwall” says, “The scheme has seen low fares running alongside the national bus fare cap of £2 for a single fare journey (now extended until October 2023 with a cap of £2.50 until November 2024).” In fact, in early October 2023, the Prime Minister announced that the cap of £2 would be extended until the end of 2024.

As of today, the cap remains at £2 although there is some doubt about the bus companies remaining committed to it until the end of the year.

Still, who cares about bus fares when we learn that the Spaceport is generating an investment boost into Cornwall of £200 million annually!