Delaine Buses explains decision not to opt into Get Around For £2 campaign
An operator has explained why it is not taking part in a government scheme for ‘cheap’ bus fares.
The ‘Get Around For £2’ campaign is running between January 1 to March 31 as part of a government push to help people during the cost of living crisis.
Across the country 130 bus operators are taking part in the scheme which puts a price cap on tickets and is being backed with £60 million of government funding to help cover the deficit.
But for some companies such as the Bourne-based Delaine Buses signing up for the scheme could put them at risk.
Anthony Delaine-Smith said: "We don't run a high fare service like some operators.
"Our main thing is that we want to safeguard our services beyond March 31.
"The face for the scheme looks easy but there is a lot of risk to the operators if numbers don't stack up.
"We kept our services running through covid and bounced back.
"These schemes could be a short term win but at the end of it people could lose their services."
He explained that his bus company's fares are low enough that if people regularly used the £2 single bus fare cap they could end up paying more than Delaine Buses' weekly pass.
Delaine Buses has been operating since 1890 with its first motor bus introduced in 1919.
It now has seven routes with 31 buses.
Anthony describes business as returning well since the pandemic, despite the recent rising fuel costs.
He said: "People have come back and we have been there for them.
"We haven't lost any drivers through the staff shortages, which other operators are struggling with.
"We have been there and we have stayed there for our customers."
Centrebus is the only operator in the Stamford, Rutland and Bourne area taking part in the scheme.
All of the Centrebus services will be included in the price cap scheme, which nationwide is estimated to take two million cars off the roads.
Transport Minister Richard Holden said: "Bus fares vary across different parts of the country and between bus operators, and the cap is an important step in ensuring passengers across the country are getting a fair deal."