Stagecoach East has announced the extension of the £2 single bus fare scheme until the end of December 2024.

As one aspect of billions of pounds worth of spending pledges made in the wake of the scrapping of the northern part of the proposed HS2 high-speed rail link, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that the £2 bus fare for single journeys would be maintained after an annoucement that it would rise to £2.50.

Mr Sunak also told the Conservative Party conference that, as part of £36bn saved by cutting HS2, our region would be given £610 million to fund road schemes: ensuring the delivery of 39 road schemes across East Anglia, including the A10 between Ely and Cambridge.

In addition, access would be made available to a £2.8 billion road resurfacing fund to work to combat potholes.

Darren Roe, managing director of stagecoach East, said: “We are delighted that the £2 scheme for single fares is going to be extended. Roughly 81 per cent of passengers currently buy single tickets so this is a very significant step.

“The bus already offers outstanding value on travel in our region, and this announcement only makes things better.

"For example, for an adult in Bedford, Cambridge or Peterborough, unlimited travel can cost as little as £2.61 a day with a 28-day MegaRider.

"We also feature the popular £1 single fare between Cambridge Rail Station, the city centre and the Biomedical Campus, and under-19’s and students get a 30 per cent discount on ticket prices.

“We also look forward to seeing the details of the road improvements that have been promised. There is still so much work to be done to improve our roads and our local congestion, so we will just have to see how far this money can go.”