The Mayor’s Fares
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, will launch ‘The Mayor’s Fares’ on Sunday 4 September 2022 delivering on her pledge to bus fares simpler and cheaper and to help ease the cost-of-living burden. The Mayor’s Fares comprises:
- A £2 maximum fare on single journeys;
- A £1 reduction on the cost of the multi-operator, multi-journey MCard DaySaver ticket to £4.50.
From Sunday 4 September, people will pay no more than £2 for any single bus journey in West Yorkshire – providing savings of as much as £1.50 on some trips. This will significantly cut the cost of travel for people making journeys over 3 miles, which operators charge at a higher price.
In addition, passengers will be able to make unlimited journeys for £4.50 per day with a DaySaver ticket through the MCard App. This represents a saving of almost 20% on the current price. Those travelling every day could save up to £500 over the course of a year.
Tracy Brabin, the Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:
“We are making bus travel simpler and cheaper through the Mayor’s Fares.
“You can hop on a bus from Huddersfield to Halifax, or Bradford to Bingley, and know that you won’t have to pay more than £2 for your trip.
“As our communities face a crippling cost-of-living crisis, we’re determined to do what we can to help ease the burden.”
We want to simplify fares in West Yorkshire and ease the cost-of-living burden for people by introducing a maximum adult fare payable to £2 and reducing the price of the MCard DaySaver to £4.50.
We want buses to be the first choice for travel in West Yorkshire – not because you don’t have a car, but because buses are more affordable, convenient to use, and better for the environment.
“Clear and simple fares – to make paying for bus travel more affordable, easier, convenient and flexible” is a key element of our Bus Service Improvement Plan.
To deliver on the ambition of our Bus Service Improvement Plan and level up our local bus system, we need appropriate funding from central Government.
West Yorkshire Combined Authority, local councils and bus operators entered an Enhanced Partnership (EP) on 1 April 2022. The Enhanced Partnership allows us greater local control over local bus services
Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford City Council and Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee, said:
“The cost of living crisis demands bold action. So this is an ambitious plan for urgent times from the Mayor and West Yorkshire leaders. It provides an immediate saving for regular bus passengers and simplifies fares for people who may be thinking of taking the bus for the first time.
Getting people back on our buses will help with our economic recovery, and we will do all we can with the funding available to improve services.”
Richard Armitage, Chair of West Yorkshire Ticketing Company Limited which manages MCard, said:
“I’m thrilled to be able to tell you there’s £1 off the MCard DaySaver bus ticket. It is such good news! Given everything else that’s happening, the funding and political support for our local buses is very welcome indeed.
“It’s enabled bus operators in West Yorkshire to work alongside the Combined Authority and the Mayor to agree several price cuts to our multi-operator MCard bus tickets. We look forward to former, current and new customers travelling more on the bus.”
How to buy?
Passengers can buy Single and DaySaver tickets on the bus with cash or contactless and through the MCard Mobile app on both apple and android smartphones.
MCard smartcards can also be topped up with daily, weekly and monthly MCard tickets on the android MCard app and at Bus Station Travel Centres, ticket machines and Payzone stores.
Which bus services and routes does this apply to?
The maximum single fare of £2 and maximum daily fare of £4.50 will apply across West Yorkshire, on all service operators, on journeys within West Yorkshire. These are not applicable to Park & Ride services, football and other events specials, or the parts of journeys that are outside West Yorkshire.