Mayor makes exciting announcement to keep bus fares affordable
Bus fares across Tyne and Wear will be frozen at a maximum of £2.50 for adults and £1 for young people for at least the next 15 months.
The news was announced by the North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness, as she announced her current bus fare cap will remain the same until March 2027.
The frozen fare is 50 pence lower than the Government’s national cap of £3, while young people save up to £2 through the 21 and under £1 fare.
The Mayor feels the price cap is helping to drive up use of public transport across the region with bus travel in the North East up by almost 9 million journeys this year - an 8% increase compared to1% nationally.
Mayor Kim said: “I pledged to make transport affordable, which is why I’ve ensured that bus fares are frozen at £1 and £2.50 until 2027 - giving people the option they need when money is tight.
“The proof is in the numbers: millions more bus journeys are being made across the North East. Take away the barriers, and people get on board.”
From April 1, 2026, young people aged 21 and under will be able to travel for just £1 for a single journey or £3 for a regionwide day ticket offering unlimited travel on buses, the Metro and the Shields Ferry.
Adults will continue to benefit from a £2.50 single fare, a £7.50 regionwide day ticket covering buses, Metro and the Shields Ferry, plus £6 Day Rover tickets giving unlimited bus travel in County Durham or Northumberland.
In 2025, over 43.5 million journeys are expected to be undertaken using the Mayor’s fares - approximately 2 in every 5 journeys.
That number means fewer cars on the road, less congestion, and more people able to access education, training and jobs.
Mayor Kim has also set out her ambition to take back control of bus services. She “recognises that this is a lengthy process, but one she is determined to see through”.