City residents will soon be able to benefit from cheaper bus fares thanks to a partnership by Stoke-on-Trent City Council and all bus operators across the city.

The new Affordable Fares Scheme is set to come into force on Saturday 1 July as part of a city-wide effort to encourage more people to take-up public transport.

This scheme goes further than the current government scheme for capping bus prices, and includes returns and weekly tickets. Additionally from November 2023 will mean prices of buses in the city will be cheaper.

The scheme will reduce adult tickets by up to 50 per cent. This will take an adult ticket to £2, an adult day ticket will cost just £3.50 and an adult week ticket will cost just £12.

The young person's ticket has also been extended as part of the scheme, meaning tickets for people aged 18 and under will now cost £1.50 for a single, £2 for a day and a weekly ticket for £7.

Passengers will also benefit from a 'smart' ticket which will allow them to travel on all bus services across Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle.

The Affordable Fares scheme will remain in place for a minimum of 12 months, initially until 30 June, 2024.

The scheme will remain in place until at least 30 June 2024 (Nub News).

Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, Cabinet Support Members said: "This is really useful for 6th form students in particular who commute everyday and university students as well who are getting the 25 from Keele to Hanley. So hopefully it will encourage a few more people to come up to Hanley and enjoy themselves.

"We've seen a low level of bus subsidies in the past which is one of the reasons I think fares have become so expensive. So it's a step in the right direction and hopefully we are going to get the bus companies all together so we can have conversations about what is needed

"We are in a cost of living crisis like nobody's ever seen before, people are struggling and petrol is expensive, so if we can get people on cheaper buses I think that will help everyone.

"If we are going to create a cleaner, greener city we do need to get more people on buses, so we need to make them more accessible to people; at the moment there are big black spots really where you just can't get a bus.

Councillor Amjid Wazir, cabinet member for environment and enforcement explained how this is 'good news' for residents

Councillor Wazir said: "The City of Stoke-on-Trent are launching an affordable fares scheme from Saturday and is good news for people who travel on buses and we would like to encourage residents to travel on buses and it is very affordable.

"The age has been increased from 16 to 18 for young adult tickets which means they can travel round the city for cheaper. I've just been on a bus and I think it's nice and really comfortable and people should enjoy going around the city wherever they need to go."

First Buses recently announced they were cutting bus services across Stoke-on-Trent (Nub News).

Recently First Potteries announced it was reducing routes and axing journeys across the city leaving residents furious - Read the full list of cuts here.

Councillor Wizir continued "I've heard a lot of people going to work in taxis and it's costing them a lot of money and if they can get a bus it will be cheaper and better for the environment.

"We will lobby the government to see if we can get more funding for cheaper fares, so we can help climate change. Less cars and more buses on the road will help reduce climate change to a minimum and that's our aim and I think it's encouraging.

"We are encouraging the bus companies to have flexible times as well, so we want the buses when people are working or finishing and starting work.

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