England’s new £2 bus trips have arrived. Here are six of the most scenic

With more than 130 bus operators joining a scheme offering fares of £2, now is the time to get out and see some of England’s most picturesque areas

Many bus journeys in England will cost no more than £2 until the end of March. Nationally, the average single fare is around £2.80, so the scheme will generally represent a discount of about 30%, but on longer rural journeys, bus users could save as much as 87%. The 50-mile journey from York to Whitby across the North York Moors, which was voted Britain’s most scenic route in a 2018 survey, usually costs £14, so travellers will save £12. The 840 Coastliner bus, which makes this epic journey four times a day, is one of hundreds of routes that now cost less.

More than 130 bus operators are taking part in the scheme, which is funded by the government to the tune of £60m. Alex Hornby, CEO of Transdev – which runs buses across Yorkshire and Lancashire – says that while passenger numbers in those areas recovered well after the pandemic, there are still fewer people travelling by bus “especially during the current cost of living crisis”. Hornby hopes this money-saving promotion “will attract them back on board”.