Wiltshire MP urges government to protect the bus fare cap and invest in local bus services

Lib Dem MP Sarah Gibson calls on the Labour Government to protect the bus fare cap. This comes after reports that the Transport Minister Heidi Alexander has refused to commit to the bus fare cap. 

The government hiked up the cap from £2 to £3 and the Liberal Democrats called the cap rise “effectively a bus tax”. 

However, commuters are facing another blow, following reports that Heidi Alexander has refused to confirm that the universal bus cap on single tickets won’t be scrapped - and will be to be replaced by a "targeted" scheme instead. Lib Dem MP Sarah Gibson is urging the government to protect the bus fare cap, arguing the impact on Wiltshire could be catastrophic. 

Commenting, Liberal Democrat MP for Chippenham, Sarah Gibson said: 

“The bus fare cap and proper routes matter to people here in Wiltshire. With my constituents having to stretch their hard-earned cash further and further, this Government’s decision to hike the bus fare cap will hurt the most vulnerable people who rely on buses in their daily lives. 

“Realistically, it can take people in many parts of my constituency well over an hour to get to the Royal United Hospital or Great Western Hospital for their appointments or to see loved ones.”

“To now do away with the cap altogether would add insult to injury.

“That is why I am I am inviting Minister for Transport Heidi Alexander to come to Wiltshire and see first-hand how vital bus services are to my constituents.

“The Government needs to change course and boost struggling local economies by investing in bus routes that have been pushed to the brink."