FROM today until 31 March, a single bus journey will cost no more than £2 on selected routes across Surrey.

With an average single local bus ticket costing £2.80, passengers are expected to save almost a third of the ticket price per journey, and also encourage them to use their car less.

Ten bus operators across the county have signed up to the Department for Transport’s £2 bus fare cap scheme announced on 19 December.

The current list of operators taking part is:

Compass operating in Cranleigh, Dorking, Godalming, Guildford, Redhill and Reigate.

Stagecoach (Camberley, Farnham, Guildford, Haslemere, Hindhead and Woking).

Metrobus (Banstead, Caterham, Epsom, Horley, Leatherhead, Lingfield, Redhill and Reigate).

Falcon (Addlestone, Byfleet, Chertsey, Cobham, Epsom, Esher, Leatherhead, Molesey, Sheerwater, Staines, Walton, Weybridge and Woking).

Waverley Hoppa (Godalming and Guildford).

Thames Valley Bus (Camberley).

Surrey Connect(Mole Valley DDRT) (Leatherhead and Dorking).

East Surrey Rural Transport Partnership (Tandridge).

First (Staines and Egham).

Southdown (Caterham, Horley, Lingfield Oxted, Redhill and Reigate).

Matthew Furniss, Surrey County Council cabinet member for transport, infrastructure and growth, said: “We welcome this scheme, which will help our residents to take the bus at a significantly reduced price at a time when many are facing pressures from the rising cost of living.

“The bus industry is also facing a challenging time, resulting from the drop in passenger numbers and rising costs following the COVID-19 pandemic, so we hope that this scheme will also encourage new and old passengers to get back on the bus.

“When this £2 flat-fare scheme ends, we will introduce a half-fare scheme for young people aged 20 and under to further encourage bus usage.

“With transport accounting for 41% of carbon emissions in Surrey, it is hoped that cheaper bus travel will also lessen the need to travel by car for some journeys.”